


The Kept

by LadyLuciet



Category: Original Work, Pathfinder (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Aftercare, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Biting, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Bondage, Captivity, Choking, Collars, Cunnilingus, Dubcon Kissing, Dubious Consent, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, Fantasy, First Time Blow Jobs, First Time Bottoming, Gay Sex, Hate Sex, Kissing, Light Dom/sub, Loss of Virginity, Love Bites, M/M, Master/Pet, Master/Slave, Multi, Nipple Licking, Oral Sex, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Porn With Plot, Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, Scratching, Sexual Content, Sexual Slavery, Size Difference, Slavery, Temperature Play, Unsafe Sex, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-01-25 20:57:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21362581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLuciet/pseuds/LadyLuciet
Summary: “Would you have changed your actions, had you known what the consequences would've been if you failed?"Alur Hikelvo. Ecra Coppler. Herra Kublo. Thola Tyth. Braizra Cexod. Sakal. A party of heroes who set forth to fight the Drow prince Tecryd Savani and defeat him. But they failed. And now they've been sentenced to be Kept, to be Tecryd's playthings until they are completely and totally broken. But it's harder to break a hero than Tecryd would think. Maybe they'll end up breaking him instead...
Relationships: Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 26
Kudos: 79





	1. Game Over. Would You Like To Try Again?

**Author's Note:**

> Think of this as a retelling of When The Bad Guys Win. Except Tecryd isn't a power tripping god and there's actual plot to go with the porns! Each character will be more fleshed out than when I originally wrote WTBGW, but don't worry, you don't have to read that first. It's the same characters, but a totally unrelated plotline. You'll just have to be more patient for the sexiness ;D

“What is your name?”

Ecra looked up from where he was cleaning his weapon. He nearly dropped it when he saw the elf paladin from the battle today, taking a seat across from him to clean his own sword.

“I, ummm...” What did he just ask? Right! Name! He had one of those! What was it again? “… Ecra C… Coppler, sir!” He scrambled to get up, stand at attention at the very least, but the elf chuckled and raised his hand.

“No, no need for any of that, I’m not apart of the army and I have no rank.” He gestured Ecra to sit back down. “Do not feel like you need to answer in any particular way, but were you the one who charged the drow today? The sorcerer?”

Ecra blinked. “Oh, uh, yeah.” Ecra sheathed his weapon before sitting up, trying to puff out his slim chest. “It was no big deal. Did what anyone else would’ve done if they had the opening.”

The elf chuckled again, cocking his head to the side. His white-gold hair was somehow perfectly kept, not a single tangle in its length that stretched past the middle of his back. “Not a big deal? You do realize what he was preparing to do, correct?”

“Some sort of spell?” Ecra guessed.

“An elemental blast, likely an electric one given his element of choice. If you’d failed to stop him, he would’ve likely killed you and anyone else caught in its path.”

“… Oh.” Ecra’s voice cracked a little. His freckled cheeks flushed and he looked down.

“Would you have changed your actions, had you known what the consequences would've been if you failed?"

Ecra shook his head almost immediately.

“Why?”

Boy, this paladin asked a lot of questions. Ecra bit on his bottom lip before he responded.“W… well…” The answer tumbled out of his lips before he could stop it. “I mean, if I didn’t, then who would?”

The paladin nodded slowly, his deep blue eyes feeling like they were piercing into Ecra’s soul. “Now that’s the kind of answer I wanted to hear.” He smiled before extending his hand.

“My name is Alur Hikelvo. I’ve been after that drow sorcerer a long, long time. He got away today, but not without a scar that will stick with him for the rest of his life. And if I had any sense at all, I’d like to have the young fighter who gave him that scar by my side to take him down.”

~*~

“His name is Tecryd of the noble house Savani. And he’s the one who killed your dad.”

Ecra had met a few halflings, but not nearly as one as kind as Herra. The woman still had the blood of her father staining her deep brown skirt, but she was focused on bandaging up Alur’s arm more than herself. Her curly ginger hair bounced as she turned to Ecra, her fawn brown eyes wide.

“What good would it do me to know the name of my father’s killer?” Her laughter was bitter, borderline hysterical. She shook her head and turned back to Alur. “No good at all, I’m afraid. How are you feeling?”

“Much better, thank you, Miss Kublo.” Alur set his hand gently on Herra’s, while the halfling turned away, her cheeks turning a slight pink as she laughed. Damn it, how come the one who swore to remain chaste was the one who got all the girls giggling? “You’re quite gifted. When did you start pursuing the path of witchcraft?”

Herra blinked a few times before she laughed sheepishly, pulling away and rubbing the back of her neck. “Eh, just something I’ve picked up over the years. I don’t use it to curse or harm, don’t get me wrong, only in self defense or to heal.” Her black cat Lytta tangled around her ankles and Herra gently stroked her back. “I’m nothing like you guys.”

“You threw a pie plate at Tecryd’s head,” Ecra deadpanned.

“It was the only thing I had within arm’s length!”

Ecra and Herra had a stare off before the both burst into giggles, Herra hiding her mouth behind her hand. When she lowered it, her smile was genuine. “I still can’t thank you enough. Without you, I’m sure that Greenhill would’ve probably burnt to the ground, and everyone here carted off as slaves for the drow. Even...” Her voice trembled and her eyes got wet, but she quickly wiped them with her sleeve before she continued, “Even if my father died, he died on his feet, standing up to the invaders.”

“Your father was a brave and good man, Herra,” Alur nodded, “And you take after him.”

“You’re not the only one to say that.” Herra sighed before her brow furrowed. “Why do you, though? You’ve only known me and my father for a few days.”

“True, true.” Alur leaned forward and took the halfling’s hands, looking right into her eyes. “But in the few days I did know you both, I know you both have a passion to do what’s right. No matter the cost, and no matter who opposes you.” The paladin stood. “Thank you for caring for my wounds,” He said before he walked out the door.

Ecra shrugged before following after Alur. When the door closed and Ecra could finally stand at his full height again he asked, “What was that all about?”

“Oh, you’ll see in the morning. Or you won’t.”

Damn secretive elf.

The morning brought an auction.

Herra stood at the front of the bar, looking about the crowd. “Two thousand five hundred, do I hear three thousand gold? Three thousand! Oh, four thousand from Mr. Dayridge! Four thousand, do I hear- oh my gods, okay, uh, ten thousand gold from the Starbend family! Going once, twice, sold, to the Starbends!” The girl leaped off the porch and shook Mr. Starbend’s hand. “Thank you so much, this gold will go to very important things. And I know you’ll take great care of my family’s bar.”

Starbend nodded. “We’ll bring pride to your family’s name and beer! Are you sure though, little missie? It’s a danger being an adventurer, you should know that!”

Herra looked beyond the crowd, where she saw the elf and the human standing by a tree. The human looked genuinely shocked while the elf seemed content. He’d absolutely predicted what was going to happen. Smart, wasn’t he?

“I’m sure. Nothing will get done if I just stay home, after all!”

~*~

“Got any ideas yet?”

“Nope. Have you tried picking the lock?”

“I don’t know how to pick locks!”

“What about Alur?”

“… He’s a _paladin_.”

“Riiiight.”

Herra leaned against Ecra, huffing quietly. “Don’t give up yet, Ecra. We can think of something, I know we can!” She said.

Ecra managed to smile. Even when captured by drow and put in a literal cage, Herra always saw the positive side of things.

Alur had been quiet this whole time. Ecra wondered if he was meditating at first but now he seemed to be staring at their cage guard, who currently had all their weapons in a pile and was dancing a stick above Lytta’s head.

“… What’s your name?”

Oh no, Alur was _not_ trying this! Ecra almost spoke up to tell him to shut it but Herra clapped a hand over his mouth. “Shhh! Let him do his thing!” She hissed.

The guard’s head snapped up, her crimson hair barely brushing her shoulders. Ecra had never seen a drow with red hair before, although the rest of her was certainly drow- dark purple skin, pure white eyes. Supposed there had to be some variance among the race. “Thola Tyth. Why?” She asked.

“Just a simple question, strike up some conversation while we await our terrible fates.” Alur smiled that good smile he always did, and Thola’s shoulders slowly relaxed. “You have something on your mind, don’t you?”

“Why do you care, _elf_?” Thola sneered in his direction. “I wasn’t under the impression your kind gave a shit about us.”

Alur shook his head. “I may be an elf, but I’m also a paladin who worships Vyraos. He does not tolerate hatred of others based on their race. My sworn enemy may be a drow, but not all drow are my enemy. Especially a drow who has done us no harm.”

Thola snorted, although a smile did grace her lips for a few moments. “I’m also the one who’s under orders to kill you if you try to escape.” She sighed and scratched Lytta’s ears, the familiar purring loudly. “The hobgoblin who bungled the first attempt to capture you. Tecryd didn’t take so kindly to the failure.”

“Did you know him?” Ecra blurted out, ignoring Herra’s elbow digging into his ribs.

The female drow shook her head. “No, different factions, but Tecryd just threw a temper tantrum and blew him away. Shocked him so badly he didn’t wake up for a few days, and he’s lost the ability to use his right side. I… I was there.”

“And you didn’t speak up,” Alur guessed.

“… Yeah. I stayed quiet, like a proper soldier.” Thola sighed and rested her chin on her hands. “I suppose you have no one to really tell, but you could say I’ve been doubting some of the Prince’s choices lately.”

“Oh, now you do?” Ecra said sarcastically, once again feeling Herra’s elbow.

Thankfully Thola didn’t seem to react badly to Ecra’s criticism. “I know, I know. We’re at war. But I’m a loyal soldier. I serve the house of Savani without hesitation… most of the time… you ever feel like there’s a moment in your life when you start to question what you’re doing with it?” Thola looked up at the prisoners in the cage.

Herra nodded first, scooting towards the cage bars. “I did. Right when I met these two jerks.” Ecra stuck out his tongue and Herra did it back. “They’re good at making you do that.”

“Well, don’t be getting any smart ideas.” Thola pointed her cutlass at the cage. “I’m not a traitor. So you can shut up.”

Alur nodded oh too innocently. “Of course, of course. We’ll remain silent,” He said, adjusting his legs to fold beneath him and he closed his eyes. Meditation time.

Five minutes went by. Ten minutes. Then fifteen.

Almost thirty minutes later, Thola huffed and got to her feet. “I’m definitely going to die,” She grumbled as she headed for the cage door, pulling the keys from her waist.

“What are you doing?!” Ecra hissed, jolting up from his almost slumber.

Thola rolled her eyes. “What do you think, stupid, I’m letting you go.” The lock clicked and Thola pulled open the door, beckoning them out. “Get going! I’ll tell the prince that you guys knocked me out or something. Go, before I change my mind!”

Ecra dashed out the door first, gathering up his gear and tossing the rest to Herra and Alur to sort out. Alur paused strapping on his sword belt to set a hand on Thola’s shoulder.

“I won’t forget this.”

Thola scoffed, pushing off his hand with that barely there smile crossing her face again. “Shut up before someone comes to check on us. Go!”

The group ran into the forest, Ecra beginning to giggle as they vanished into the trees.

They only got about ten minutes out before Tecryd caught up to them.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

Tecryd seemed to just appear in front of them with a small force of hobgoblins, Ecra nearly crashing right into the drow prince. The fighter drew his sword and nervously backed up. “This doesn’t have to get ugly, Tecryd, but it can’t get much worse than your face!”

Tecryd’s eyes narrowed, the silvery scar on his face contorting. “You’re the pinnacle of hilarity,” He deadpanned. “Now, which one should I execute first, Alur? The halfling or the scrawny human?”

“I’m not scrawny!” Sure, he wasn’t built, but he wasn’t scrawny!

Alur’s face went cold as he drew his weapon. “You wish to bring harm to someone, Tecryd, then you can fight me. Or are you too much of a coward?”

“Oh, I’m no coward,” Tecryd laughed as a ball of energy formed in his outstretched hand, “I just want you to watch your little friends _die_.”

Ecra braced himself for the blow, but it never came.

Two of the hobgoblin soldiers dropped like stones, Tecryd turned to the source of the sound. “What is going on-”

The side of Tecryd’s robe ripped open and blood sprayed on the ground. The drow hissed and leaped away, and that’s when Ecra saw Thola. Both her cutlasses were stained with blood, and her lips curled back in a sneer.

Tecryd gaped in shock, his spell dissipating as he covered his bleeding side with his hand. “Thola! What are you doing?!”

“What I should’ve done the moment your ego got too big.” Thola charged him again, only for Tecryd to blast her away. The Drow woman slammed into the ground, stunned but still breathing.

Tecryd glowered down at her. “Traitor,” He sneered before he vanished, leaving his hobgoblin soldiers to clean up the mess.

A few hours later, the group had gotten a good distance away and Herra was busy healing Thola. The drow woman looked around the group. “Why are you helping me?” She asked.

Ecra chuckled as he gently punched her soldier. “Because you’re not all that bad for a drow,” He teased.

Thola looked over at Herra. “Are his jokes usually this-”

“Terrible? Oh, they’ll get worse,” Herra chuckled.

“Heeeeyyyy!”

~*~

“And a toast to the paladin and his friends, they fought as well as any orc today!”

“Cheers!”

Ecra swigged the orc brew and immediately regretted his choices in life. His face puckered up and went a curious shade of green as he forced himself to swallow. Oh gods it burned. It burned so much. And it somehow got _worse_ as time went on.

Thola snickered as she stuck with whatever wine she had stored in her canteen. “Why did you think that was a good idea?”

“I didn’t want to be left ooouuuut...” Ecra whined. They were surrounded by orcs, the most warlike of their kind, and he didn’t want to seem like a weakling.

Meanwhile, Herra finished off her glass and slammed it on the table, breathing in sharply. “Whooo! That really makes you wake up! Ecra, you mind if I-”

“_Please_.” Ecra shoved over the glass as he shoved fried crickets into his mouth. Orcs didn’t exactly have fine cuisine but anything was better than the burn of what they considered liquor.

One of the younger orcs glanced over at Herra. “Careful there, short one! Orcs don’t brew light drinks like you halflings,” he teased.

Herra slammed down the glass so hard Ecra was surprised it didn’t crack. “Says who!? I bet I could outdrink you any day! Hell, I’ll outdrink anyone in this camp!” She yelled, standing up on her stool.

The bar went dead silent as the young orc grinned roguishly. Ecra took note of the several copper and bone piercings in his face, the dark green tattoos down the sides of his face. Not someone to mess with. “Herra, you might want to shut up…” He whispered.

“Fuck that!” Herra looked around the bar. “Come on, who wants to challenge me to a drinking competition? I’ll take any and all comers, thank you very much!”

The young orc looked over at one of the larger fellows setting up another barrel on the bar. “Yo, Zangull. Little lady wants to challenge someone to a drinking contest,” He said.

The biggest of the orcs turned around, grinning crookedly to show off one of his large, cracked tusks. “And what does the winner get, halfling?” He asked.

Herra hopped off her stool and ran up to Zangull, setting her hands on her hips. “When I win, I’d like five hundred gold and a cask of this great firewater sent to Kublo Bar in Greenhill, run by the Starbend family!” She said.

Zangull crossed his arms. “And if I win?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Herra thought for a second before she grinned, scrambling up on the nearby stool and leaning in to whisper into his ear. A few nearby orcs craned in to attempt to listen, but whatever she did say definitely got Zangull’s attention. He grinned wickedly before pounding his tattooed chest. “Then it’s a challenge! Bring out the best of our brew!” He boomed.

“What did she bet?” Thola whispered, to which Ecra could only shrug.

The drinks were poured and Herra ended up sitting on the table so she could effectively look Zangull in the eye. Even then it wasn’t an even matching, Herra still having to look up slightly. She grabbed onto a glass and gave a short nod. “May the best halfling win!” She shouted before lifting the glass to her lips.

The bar exploded into shouts and cheers.

“Don’t let this childfolk beat you, Zangull!”

“One hundred gold on Zangull!”

“Two hundred for the girl!”

“She drinks like an orc!”

“Drinks like a halfling, more like!”

“Zangull! Zangull! Zangull!”

The glasses piled up beside them, Zangull shouting loud insults in orc to Herra. She had no idea what he was saying, so she only laughed and shouted back in her own in common before grabbing another drink. Ecra managed to squeeze to the front and he glanced to his side, where he saw the orc from before. Come to think of it, he didn’t look much like the other orcs, other than the pale green skin and the tusks. He was just as strongly built but his features weren’t as beastly, tusks not as large. Maybe it was because he was younger?

“Zangull, you bowing out already!? She’s just a child!”

“Is… is she even swaying?”

“Fifty gold on the girl!”

“Herra! Herra! Herra!”

Okay, so that last part was absolutely Ecra shouting, but hey, she was his friend! He was obligated to cheer for her!

“Hey, human!”

Ecra glanced over to the young orc, who grinned. “One hundred gold that Zangull takes it!” He shouted.

“I’ll take that bet!” Ecra yelled, reaching over to shake the orc’s hand. His hand was practically crushed by the thick, callused grip of the orc. “I’m Ecra, by the way!”

“Braizra! Remember it when you count out my gold!”

However, it didn’t seem that Ecra would be counting out gold this time. The orc began to sway, his eyes growing bleary as he attempted to glare down the halfling, who was taking this all in stride. Her shouts and goading was beginning to slur, but other than that she seemed entirely unaffected.

“Is she actually _drinking_?”

“Wait, she might be going down! Nevermind, she just stole someone else’s drink! Hah! Now that’s how a halfling does it!”

Zangull grabbed another glass, growling quietly as he lifted it to his lips… before he teetered off the chair, unable to keep his balance any longer. Herra managed to snatch his glass at the last second and downed it too before lifting it into the air and screaming at the top of her lungs.

The bar practically exploded in energy, orcs collecting on bets and belting those over the head who didn’t pay up. Several went up to shake Herra’s tiny hand.

The crew met back at the table, after Herra briefly excused herself. She looked a bit ill as she sat at their table, wiping off her mouth. “I had to make myself vomit, took some herbs to make sure I didn’t kill myself with alcohol poisoning,” She grumbled.

Braizra chuckled as he counted out the gold from his pouch. “Here you are, Ecra. I shouldn’t have bet against your halfling, she’s clearly something special,” He said.

Ecra raised his hands. “Nah, put it away, it’s not a big deal.”

“I pay my bets, Ecra.” Braizra pushed the gold over and looked down at Herra. “What did you offer Zangull if you lost?”

Herra smirked as she sipped some water. “I said I’d send my drow friend into his tent for the night.”

Thola gaped in horror. “You did _not_!” She said.

“Hey, I knew I’d win,” Herra shrugged, “besides, if I did somehow lose, he would’ve drunk so much he wouldn’t be able to keep it stiff.”

Thola sighed and took another drink of her wine. “You are very lucky you didn’t lose,” She growled.

Alur looked Braizra up and down. “Braizra… isn’t that the chieftain’s son’s name?” He said.

Ecra’s eyes went huge as Braizra nodded. “I’m one of Draskag’s sons, yes.”

“No way!” Ecra whistled, causing Herra to wince. “Why aren’t you drinking with the other chieftain’s sons then?” He nodded over to the table where Zangull was spread across, the one with the banner made of deerskin above it. The orc was still out cold as a goblin attempted to fan him off.

Braizra shrugged. “I haven’t proven myself yet that I can keep up. I’m the youngest. And I’m only half orc.”

“Wait. What.” Ecra looked Braizra up and down. “… Oooooh, okay, that… explains-”

“How I’m the best looking of all my brothers? I get that from my mother’s side,” Braizra said, his eyes glittering wickedly, “but I’m not nearly as strong. I need to prove my worth, you understand.”

Herra cocked her head to the side. “I saw you in battle, healed you. I felt your strength. You’re more than strong, you have incredible power!” She said.

“You had to heal me though, after I took an arrow to the chest,” Braizra shook his head, “My brothers would’ve pulled it out themselves and kept going. I might be strong compared to your human,” He nodded at Ecra, “but I’m nowhere near as powerful as a full orc.”

“I’m not even going to argue that one,” Ecra murmured behind his mug of water.

Alur tapped his fingers on the table before he smiled, leaning in a bit. “Braizra, I’d been meaning to ask your father to see if he knew anyone who would be interested, but instead I’ll ask you. The drow that attacked your camp, we’ve been hunting him to take him down. To cut off the head of the snake, to end all of this. We could use someone like you to come along.”

Braizra blinked a few times in surprised. “But why do you want me in your party?” He asked.

“Uh, pure unadulterated badassery?” Ecra pointed out.

That earned a snort from Braizra. Alur patted his shoulder gently. “Pack what you need, we’ll be moving out before noon tomorrow.” The paladin stood and managed to gracefully dodge partying orcs on his way out.

Braizra raised an eyebrow. “Why does he assume I’m coming along?” He asked.

Thola snickered and lowered her wine skin. “Because he knows you will,” She said.

And well, he wasn’t wrong. By the time the sun rose the next morning, Braizra had his pack ready and he had joined the party.

~*~

“Hey, handsome, looking for a friend tonight?”

A male sylph prostitute. They were truly staying at the seediest of bars tonight. Ecra laughed nervously as he hid his blush behind his beer glass. “I’m good, thanks. I’m mostly looking forward to sleeping on an actual bed tonight.”

The sylph laughed, the sound almost musical. “You don’t have to sleep _alone_ on it, silly. You on an adventure?”

“You could say that,” Ecra looked over the sylph’s shoulder to see a small group of sketchy looking humans glaring at the sylph, “You’re aware you’re being watched, right?”

“They think I’m the ‘friend of the night’ stealing from them,” the sylph snorted, tossing his white hair behind his shoulder. He was so pale he was practically glowing in the low light of the bar, and the only real clue to his lack of humanity was the swirling blue designs over his cheeks and forehead. “I’m not, by the way. I earn my money.”

Ecra sighed. Oh boy. He doubted those men would believe the sylph… Braizra was going to laugh so hard in the morning. “So how much for the night?” Ecra asked.

The sylph brightened up considerably.

However, no shenanigans would take place that night.

“Seriously, you don’t want sex? Are you sure?”

“Oh my gods _yes_.” Ecra rolled his eyes as he sat down on his bed, removing his boots. “I just didn’t feel okay with leaving you alone with a bunch of assholish, drunk humans.”

The sylph snickered. “You’re aware you’re a human, right?” He asked as he plopped down next to Ecra.

“Oh, I am, I really am.” It was never more apparent when traveling with an elf, a drow, a halfling, and an orc- well, a half orc. “I’m just not an asshole.”

“Not like the other humans?” The sylph joked before giggling. “In all seriousness though, I was fine. I’m used to that treatment.”

Ecra looked up at the sylph. Gods, his eyes were so light they might as well have been white. “I’m a protective kinda guy. When I see someone in trouble, I have a bad habit of stepping in to make sure they’re okay. My friends call me out on it all the time, you should see some of the scars I have from ‘stepping in’.”

“Ooooh, battle scars, how mysterious!” The sylph batted his eyelashes and Ecra snickered, giving him a playful shove. This resulted in a playful shoving match between the two until the sylph pinned Ecra down on the bed. He giggled a bit more before flopping off, his playful mask falling away to reveal something softer.

“You’re really the sweetest thing, aren’t you?”

Ecra blushed. “I’m not sweet. I’m kinda awkward and I try too hard, but thanks anyway. Hey, ever tried ‘sleeping’ with a client before?” He asked.

“Babe, that’s kinda in the job description- oh you mean _a__ctually_ sleeping. That’s what you meant.” Sakal snuggled right up to Ecra’s body, Ecra could feel the rapid beat of the sylph’s pulse, or maybe that was his own. “Well, not really. Not like this. My name’s Sakal, if you want to know.”

Ecra wrapped him in a bit of a hug, stroking his silky hair. “I’m Ecra. And you’re really good at snuggling.”

“I have lots of practice. You smell good.”

Sakal practically shoved his face into Ecra’s chest and seemed to drift off far too quickly. How tired was this guy? Ecra sighed before blowing out the candle and getting comfortable.

He got woken up about midnight by the door being kicked inwards.

Ecra jumped up and reached for his sword, only to get grabbed by the back of the shirt and thrown across the room.

“Come here, sylph, you don’t have to make this hard, give us what you got!”

“Gentlemen, you should know by now, the last time you want to corner me is when I’m sleeping. I need my beauty rest. Ecra, grab your sword and _run_!”

Ecra was about to object when he heard what sounded like the roar of a tornado. He barely picked up the sword in time to avoid the power of the sylph.

He was half blown out of the room, smacking into the wall and whipping around to see Sakal, still giggling, jumping out of the room. “Not enough, eh? Come here, you!”

A thug tried to stumble out of the room but Sakal just whipped his hand forward and with another gust the man was sent flying down the hall with a scream.

“Right, now it’s time to go.”

Ecra and Sakal ran down the hall, Ecra’s friends stumbling out of their rooms in various stages of getting their equipment on. Herra was still in her nightgown, yawning and saying, “Ecra, what the actual f-”

“No time, just run!”

The group met outside the inn, Ecra catching his breath. He slowly turned to face Sakal. “Okay, how the hell did you do that?” He asked.

“I’m full of surprises.” The sylph grinned far too innocently. “Say, I think my place of employment is just not working out for me anymore, so if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like an escort to the next town, if it isn’t too much trouble?”

Unfortunately, getting rid of Sakal was like getting rid of a burr attached to your sock. And the power of the oracle was nothing to sneeze at.

~*~

“Tomorrow’s the day.”

The group was all sleeping around the fire pit. Well. Trying to sleep. Ecra imagined he wasn’t the only one struggling to relax enough to fall asleep. The only one he knew for sure was sleeping was Alur, he never seemed to struggle with sleep. Ecra stared up at the sky before turning over to face Herra.

She wasn’t sleeping either, clearly. He swallowed before reaching his hand forward to touch hers. Without arguing, she clutched his hand. “Yeah. Tomorrow’s the day,” She said quietly. She rolled over to look at him. “Are you scared?”

“Course I am.” It’d been three years since he’d started traveling with Alur. He’d picked up so many friends along the way. But tomorrow was it. A face off with Tecryd, when the drow least expected it, while he was heading home to catch his breath. Take him out for good. “But after that’s done, if we’re all okay, what do you want to do?”

Herra hummed and puzzled it over, but Thola replied first. “I’ll probably stick with Alur, since I’m a traitor to the drow now I can’t go back to the Underdark. He’ll vouch for what good I am if he goes back to his elven clan, I’ll find what home I can there. What about you jerks?”

Herra giggled. “Thola can’t sleep either. I guess I’ll go back to Greenhill. I’m sure the Starbends will at least let me board at the old bar, give me a job. I’ll practice my healing on the side to make some extra gold. It’ll be a nice retirement for me. I know Braizra isn’t sleeping, we would’ve heard him snoring. Whatcha thinking, big guy?”

“First off, that you’re a rude little halfling,” Braizra grumbled. “And second, I’ll go back to my tribe, probably with Tecryd’s head on my spear if you guys don’t wanna call dibs on it. After that, maybe I’ll go on another journey to find my grandpa and twin brother, see how the other half lives with humans.”

Sakal sighed loudly and sat up. “You are all _boring_. I’m gonna go find a new bad guy that needs their ass kicked. Put together my own party if none of you wanna come along. Continue on doing what I’m doing. It’ll be a great time, you’re all welcome to join.”

“No thanks,” Braizra said, shooting up his fist, “I’m going home. I can’t wait to tell my dad all I did.”

Herra nodded. “I agree, I wanna see all that’s changed in Greenhill since I’ve been gone. I miss my cousins. They’re gonna go crazy when I tell them I saw Tecryd’s end!” She laughed before a look of whimsy crossed her face. “… And I’ll definitely go visit my dad’s grave. He’ll be happy to know he’s been properly avenged by his daughter.” She frowned before she looked back at Ecra. “Ecra, you haven’t said your plans yet.”

Ecra rolled so he didn’t have to face Herra anymore. “Eh, I’m getting a bit tired, can’t really word it properly. I’ll tell you while Braizra's mounting Tecryd’s head. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight!”

Everything went quiet, other than the quiet crackles of the dying fire. Ecra felt his stomach turn in on itself.

What was he going to do next?

~*~

That wasn’t a question he could answer after Tecryd was decapitated though.

Because Tecryd was very much alive, and thriving, and Ecra’s face was being pushed into the dirt by a jeering hobgoblin.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Everything had gone so wrong. Ecra managed to spoil the ambush when a hobgoblin spotted him in his hideaway, then in his haste to get to Tecryd he ended up tripping and falling on his own sword. Like an idiot.

He thought he was dead after he saw the blood pooling around his fallen body. Then Herra entered his line of vision, Ecra heard her screaming before her hands pressed against his wound. She healed him, closed the wound, but not before the enemy got the upper hand.

Ecra managed to twist his head about to see Alur on his knees, his sword being dragged away by a few greedy goblins. Sakal was getting the same treatment of his face being shoved into the dirt, and his eyes were absolutely _burning_ with hate.

Ecra got kicked across the face, causing him to nearly bite off his own tongue. He caught a glimpse of the raging Braizra, his fists still swinging even though his weapon was broken, but he was tiring out. He was bleeding from a half dozen wounds, he was getting tied down… and Herra was lying so still on the ground, he couldn’t tell if she was breathing… and where was Thola? Oh gods, where was Thola?

His chin was roughly grabbed and Ecra was forced to look up at a far too familiar face.

“Hello again, little human. It’s been far too long.”

Tecryd. Damn him to hell. Tecryd looked around before shouting, “Come out, traitor to the drow, before I start taking off your friend’s heads!”

Thola seemed to materialize out from a tree, dropping down and holding up her hands, her cutlasses dropped to the ground. Several more hobgoblins ran forward and bound her as she glared at the drow prince. Tecryd refocused his gaze on Ecra, his smirk growing wider.

“It seems I’ve got the whole collection now. How does it feel, Ecra, to realize you’ve finally _lost_?”

Ecra spat in Tecryd’s face, his body shaking with rage.

Tecryd wiped off the saliva, sighing before he got to his feet and he kicked Ecra across the face again. Once. Twice. Three times.

Before the boot connected a fourth time, Ecra had a flash of a memory.

_“Would you have changed your actions, had you known what the consequences would've been if you failed?"_

Tecryd kicked him one more time and everything went black.


	2. Time to Regroup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party reunites, but in captivity and with some fancy new neckwear.

“Congrats, you got the bastards. Took you long enough!”

“Our little brother, all grown up.”

“Well, thinks he’s all grown up, heh!”

“Come on now, we’re all proud of little Tec. He did a great job today.”

“Hmph. Bet I would’ve gotten it done faster.”

“_Juni_!”

“What?!”

Tecryd waved off his four sisters as he walked into the palace. The eldest, Elrelda, rested a hand on her little brother’s shoulder. “So, did you capture them alive?” She asked.

“Of course, of course.” Tecryd undid his hair tie as he took a seat in their lounging room, running his fingers through his pure silver hair. “Death is too good for them.”

The second eldest, Viconia, nodded as she reclined next to him. “Especially Alur. How long has it been since he swore to kill you?”

“Forty three… no, wait, forty eight years. The first time, anyway.” Tecryd sighed with relief as he rolled his shoulders. “I think I’ve lost count of how many times he’s said he’ll kill me.”

The third oldest, Xari, chortled and flopped right on top of Tecryd. “What can we say, Tec, you’re just so damn fun to threaten!”

“Get oooffff...” Tecryd whined, trying to push his bigger sister off of him. This only prompted his final sister Juni to pile on as well, and although Viconia tutted her tongue disapprovingly, she hopped on top as well.

Tecryd groaned as he tried to squirm free from the sister pile. “Come on! I just got home! I’ve been nonstop traveling for almost a year! Can we not do this right now?!”

Juni giggled and looked up at Elrelda. “Come on, we’re not too old to mess with our baby brother!” She said.

Elrelda rolled her eyes, but her smirk was familiar. Tecryd’s eyes widened in shock. “No, no, no-”

Elrelda squealed as she jumped on top, and with that, Tecryd was absolutely squished.

“Girls, girls! Could you wait at least an hour before you start messing with your brother?”

The sisters jumped off, all of them laughing in near hysterics, while Tecryd sat up and groaned. “Hello, mother,” He said.

Queen Alyril walked into the room, eyeing her daughters with a firm glare. “Really, you’re all centuries too old for this. You should be ashamed of yourselves,” She scolded.

Juni giggled, not at all ashamed of their mischievous actions. “Sorry, mother. We’ll leave you to interrogate Tec then!” She waved before she took off, the other women following. Mother sighed before she sat next to Tecryd, running her fingers down his cheeks.

“I’m so glad you’re home safe.”

Tecryd relaxed almost immediately in the presence of his mother. It was true, no matter how old you got, your mother was perhaps one of the most dear people in the world. “I am too. I captured Alur and his littleband. They’re all alive, shockingly, I thought I’d killed the halfling but her heart still beats. They’re all being kept in separate dark cells,” He said.

Alyril nodded as she carefully tied back her son’s hair again. “Very good. Just what I would’ve done, thrown them off balance. The human and the halfling will be all but blind down there, and secluded from all contact the sylph and half orc will be at their wit’s end.” She cocked her head to the side. “So, what do you plan to do with them?”

“You want my honest answer?” Tecryd leaned back against the couch. “I’m not quite sure yet. I first tempted the idea of torturing them in front of Alur, just to mess with his head before killing them all, but I feel that would be over almost too quickly. I might just leave them to starve, but that’s really not fun to watch either.”

Again, Alyril nodded, fully understanding of her son’s plight. “I see…” She trailed off as she thought. “… Have you considered Keeping them?” She asked, putting extra emphasis on the word ‘keeping’.

Tecryd frowned. “Keeping them? What do you-” He cut off and his eyes briefly widened. “Mother, that’s a bit outdated, isn’t it? Fitting, perhaps, for their station, but-”

“Keeping them would drag them down to their lowest,” Alyril said, raising her finger, “And it would be particularly satisfying for me to see our light brethren Alur turned into a Kept. It would also leave me in better graces with Thola’s mother, she has come to me no less than three times pleading for me to spare her life this week alone.”

Ah, right. Tecryd’s stomach twisted when he thought of Thola. “I’ll consider it. I’ll keep them down there for a day at least. Keep them wondering.”

“That’s my boy.” Alyril gave him a hug before she stood. “I’ll have Kept chambers prepared right away, unless of course, you don’t have the stomach for having Kept?”

“Of course I have the stomach for it!” Did she really have to go there? “I’ll let you know my decision tomorrow.”

Alyril smiled before she left the room. Tecryd took a deep breath before reclining back on the sofa.

This may have just gotten more complicated. _Calm down, Tecryd, you can manage a few Kept. It would be pleasing for you as well, _He chided himself.

It was still going to be a hell of a process though.

~*~

Ecra’s side hurt.

Ecra’s _everything_ hut

Herra managed to heal him enough so he wasn’t bleeding out, but Tecryd had practically kicked his face in. A few teeth felt a bit loose, Herra would have to heal that later… if she was still alive, anyway.

_Herra_. Ecra’s stomach twisted as he curled into a ball, tears starting to bead out of his swollen eyes. She couldn’t be dead. Neither could the others. They had to be here, just locked up somewhere else. How long had he been in here? It could’ve been hours, maybe a day. Course, he’d also been unconscious for gods know how long.

Was he the only one left?

_Do you regret your choice_?

Maybe. If his choice had gotten some of the best people he’d ever known killed.

~*~

She wasn’t dead. Thank god, she wasn’t dead.

But where was she?

Herra managed to map out her cell through tripping about it, it wasn’t very large, and there only seemed to be a bench to lie on and a bucket to use for ‘personal’ matters.

Gods hope she wasn’t trapped down here for long, otherwise it was going to start to smell really bad.

The door seemed entirely impenetrable except for a small crack in the bottom, it was likely a slot that would open to let in food, if they fed her at all of course.

She had no allies. No tools. Her body still ached from that electrical blast that sent her flying away from Ecra. She hoped she healed him to the point where he stabilized. Lytta was nowhere to be found, although she knew her familiar wasn’t dead. She’d feel that.

She couldn’t give up on her friends either. No, if they’d somehow captured her alive, they would’ve likely captured the others as well or they got away. Hopefully at least one of them got away.

Not like there was much else to do at the moment, except sit and wait for something to happen.

She’d ended up drifting off a few times, having no idea how much time was passing, until the door opened and light flooded the room.

Herra yelped and covered her eyes, she missed the light but it hurt right now! Two sets of arms looped into hers and she was dragged out into the hallway, back into at least a dim light that she could stand. Her eyes refocused and she realized she was being dragged along by two hobgoblin guards.

“Um, hello?” That was a great way to start a conversation. Where was Alur when you needed him!? “Where are you taking me? Where’s my friends?”

“Shut up, halfling,” The one on the left with a brace on his right arm barked, lightly cuffing her on the back of the head. Ow. She was already in pain. This didn’t help.

She was sat down on a bench while the other hobgoblin picked up a loop of leather, dark red in color and something stamped in golden Elven script on the side. The Brace Hob held her head still as the other wrapped the leather around her neck, buckling it shut and patting it. “Try and take it off, you’ll be in for the pain of your life. Try and run away, we’ll know exactly where you are, so just don’t,” Brace said, mockingly patting her head.

Great. They put a collar on her. That wasn’t humiliating at all.

Herra was escorted out of the dungeons and up to the upper layers of the underground palace of the drow. Slaves of all sorts of races, gnomes, humans, fellow halflings, looked at her with a bit of surprise and when they saw the collar… pity.

Why did she need to be pitied?

Herra caught quick glimpses out of windows, amazed to see that such a palace was carved in the underground. The halls around them was dimly lit with red glowing torches, Herra struggled to see far but she could see well enough.

Her attempts to observe the world around her though were cut off as a door was opened and she was tossed inside. Ow. Now she really missed her damn familiar, no way to recharge her spells without her which meant no healing.

“Herra?!”

Herra looked up to see Ecra, a light brown collar on his neck, sitting across the room on a violet backless couch. He looked terrible if she was honest, both eyes were blacked out and his nose was definitely broken, but he was _alive_.

“Ecra!”

Herra ran across the room and tackled Ecra in a hug, tears flooding down her face. “Oh my gods, I thought you were-”

“I thought you were too!” Ecra hugged her tightly back, even though the action likely pained him. Herra parted to give him a once over.

“You look awful!” She said between sniffles and giggles. Without asking, she pulled up his shirt to examine the newest of his scars. It was pink and stretched, but he had stabilized and healed enough to not be at risk of bleeding out. “It could be worse though, could be worse.”

Ecra nodded, attempting to smile but immediately wincing in pain. “Ow. Smiling hurts. So they gave you one too, huh?” He ran his finger over the smooth leather of her collar.

“Yeah. It’ll hurt me if I try to take it off and if I run away they’ll be able to track me.” Herra frowned. “What does yours do?”

“Same.” Ecra sighed and leaned against the back of the couch. “Least this is an upgrade to that stupid cell.”

“Indeed,” Herra agreed, craning her neck around. The room they were in seemed to be just some sort of lounging room, with their couch being one of three and there being enough room for all of their friends to just relax with a table in between them. There was a fireplace, six doors that went to six separate bedrooms plus a seventh that was partially open to reveal a place to bathe, much to Herra’s relief. These quarters were actually quite nice.

Too nice. Herra frowned. “Why move us from our cells?” She asked.

Ecra opened his mouth to reply something that was probably meant to be snarky when the door opened again and a large thud shook the floor.

“Closethedoorclosethedoor-”

“I’m TRYING!”

The door slammed shut and the cause of the thud got to his feet. Herra squealed as she saw a familiar green face. “Braizra!” She dashed forward and hugged his legs, as high as she could really reach.

Braizra groaned and rubbed his cheek. “I think I chipped a tusk,” He said before looking down. “Herra! You’re still alive!”

“I know! It’s great!” Herra laughed and stepped back. Braizra looked better than Ecra, although that wasn’t saying much. Braizra could always take more hits. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Hungry. Pissed off. Ready to kill a drow the minute I get this collar off.” Braizra ruffled Herra’s hair before giving his black collar a tug. “Heh, guess we’re pretty damn important, if we get a place to crash like this.”

Ecra frowned. “Is that a good thing though?” He asked.

Braizra shrugged. “Better than being alone in that tiny cell. Least this way we can plot our way out.” He glanced about. “So, any ideas yet?”

“Anything I got probably will involve Thola,” Herra said, twirling a lock of hair around a finger. “She’s our lock picker after all. Although I doubt she’ll have her thief’s tools, we can make do with things we find? At least I hope we can.”

The door opened again and the previously mentioned drow was pushed in, along with Sakal. Herra’s heart filled with warmth and she jumped up and down. “Thola! Sakal! You’re okay!”

Sakal snickered as the door slammed behind him. “Depends what you think of as ‘okay’. But I’m not dead, so I’m taking that as a good sign.” He slipped a thumb under his pale blue collar. “Thola looks like she’s had better days though.”

“Sakal, I will rip off your testicles and make you eat them.” Thola was fuming, and it was in no doubt partially due to her own collar, which although was a lovely pink color, was still pink. And Thola hated pink.

“See? Definitely better days.”

Things were looking up already. Herra looked over her other friends, they’d all been bruised up but they were standing under their own power, and well, they didn’t look like they had their face smashed in like Ecra’s.

Sakal flopped on onto Ecra’s lap, leaning his head on the human’s shoulder. Ecra sighed but didn’t push him off, too used to the sylph’s shenanigans. “So, what’s the escape plan? Where’s the elf?” Sakal asked.

“We haven’t seen Alur yet,” Ecra said, frowning, “But there’s enough beds so he’ll be here soon, right?”

Thola seemed on edge, choosing to stand rather than sit. “I don’t like this. Tecryd is up to something. Why did he move us? Did letting us starve in the dark cells not get him off or something?” She shook her head. “I don’t like this.”

Herra stood and tried to smile, she had to be the comfort in this situation. “Well, we’re together, which means we can plan. As soon as Alur is here-”

The door opened and Alur was thrown in, nearly crashing into Thola. The door slammed and Herra ran to Alur’s side.

Alur had not fared nearly as well as most of them. His face was even more swollen than Ecra’s and he looked so much smaller without his full plate armor on. He was breathing, though. That was a start.

“Someone help me drag him over to a couch!”

Ecra jumped to his feet, accidentally knocking Sakal to the floor, but Braizra reached Alur first. With an uncharacteristic gentleness, the half-orc picked up Alur and set him down on the couch. Alur murmured something in elven but didn’t waken. Herra reached his side first and gently rested her hand on his face.

God, she really wished she had Lytta right now. But she could rely on more natural ways of healing.

“Ecra, go into the bathroom, try to soak a rag so I can clean him up. Thola, take a sheet from one of the beds, I hope someone doesn’t mind going without. Sakal, help Thola cut up the sheet into long strips. Don’t care about making it pretty. And Braizra?” She looked up and smiled weakly. “Erm, you stay with me, just in case I need to move Alur again.”

Braizra snorted but took a seat, examining their elven friend. “They beat him before delivering him to our room,” He said quietly.

“I should’ve known that he would’ve gotten the worst treatment down here,” Herra grimaced as she undid the elf’s shirt. His sides were completely black and blue, and his hair was starting to mat with blood. Her fingers brushed the white leather of his collar and Alur winced. “Shootshoot, I’m sorry. If I can get something sharp, I might have to cut his hair, it’s pretty gross… think he’ll be upset?”

“There’s better things to be pissed about right now,” Braizra pointed out.

“Good point.”

Over the next few hours, Herra managed to clean up and do what she could to bandage up their paladin friend. Ecra was constantly running about, trying to do all he could without getting in the way. It was torture waiting for him to wake up.

Herra released the largest sigh of relief when those ocean blue eyes did flicker open.

“Where am I.”

Herra shushed him and rested a clean rag on his head. “Still captive by Tecryd. But we’re alive. All of us,” She said.

Alur looked over at Herra and briefly smiled. “… Then there’s still hope.” With that, his eyes fluttered shut and he began to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually have the first several chapters of this already done, i just need to edit. So regular updates for now, but don't expect that forever, I'm too gosh darn busy :P And no, I'm not sure what I'm doing with the chapter titles, I'll probably change them when I get an actual theme down.


	3. Terms and Conditions of Being Kept

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party gets their punishment explained to them by one infuriated Thola.

It was good to be surrounded by friends again.

Ecra’s face already felt better, even if smiling hurt. Braizra was making everyone cringe and laugh by describing what horrible things he’d inflict on Tecryd once he got his hands on him, Herra bought up the mood by reminding them of good times, and Sakal would sing whatever was requested of him. The sylph had the most lovely voice.

The only one who didn’t seem moved at all by their efforts was Thola. She’d managed to be convinced to sit, but you could see her mind running a mile a minute, and nothing coming up in it was good. Ecra had tried to ask her what she thought was going on, but she said she’d rather not share her suspicions just yet.

Suspicions didn’t need to hang on the air just yet.

Around noon, or what Ecra’s stomach told him was noon, the door cracked open. Thola held up a finger as she tiptoed back into a corner. A green scaly creature scampered in, carrying six trays precariously stacked on top of each other. He was no taller than Herra and was more likely shorter. He briefly smirked as he set the trays down on the table, but didn’t say a word.

Until Thola jumped him and grabbed him by the back of the tunic.

Shrieking, the small creature kicked and screamed until Thola wrapped her hand around his mouth. “Shut up, you little shit. We have questions, you’re going to answer them. We’ll get punished if we attack a drow but a little kobold like you is free game. Start. Talking.”

The kobold bit Thola’s palm and Thola jerked back, shaking her hand and dropping the kobold. The kobold tried to bolt but Braizra put his boot right on his tail, stopping the kobold in his tracks. “I’d start loosening those lips, I’m in a bad fucking mood,” He growled.

“Braizra!” Herra crossed her arms and scowled. “You don’t need to threaten him! And be careful with his tail, you could hurt him!”

“Listen to the pretty child folk! Listen to her! I’ll tell you all you want!” The kobold wailed, flopping onto the ground and clawing desperately at the floor stones.

Braizra growled but released the kobold, who immediately grabbed his tail and whined, gently petting it. “My tail, my beautiful taaiiilll,” He wailed.

Herra tutted her tongue before approaching him, examining his tail for a brief moment. “Oh, you’re fine, it’s only bruised. It’ll heal in a day. What’s your name?” She asked.

The kobold sniffled. “Vrag. Call me Vrag. What do you want to know?” He said, plopping down on the floor.

Braizra opened up one of the trays and grinned. “Well, is the food poisoned? Because it smells good,” He said, showing off the bowl of stew to the crew.

Vrag shook his head. “No, no, think they’re laced with some potions, help your ugly faces heal up-” He jumped when Herra gave him a pinch, “Ow! But they’re good! They’re good! I snuck a bit from the top tray, and it was gooood...” He sighed wistfully, rubbing his scrawny tummy.

Thola bit her lip before grabbing a tray and opening it up. “Tell me what I want to know, and be honest about it, and I’ll share a portion of my stew. Do you have something to carry it with you?”

Vrag’s reptilian eyes bugged from his skull, and he quickly nodded. “Yes! Yes! I’ll tell you! I’ll keep it in my canteen!” The kobold pulled out his canteen and promptly shook out the last few droplets of water on the floor before holding it out to Thola.

“Ah ah ah,” Thola pulled away the bowl, “Not until you answer my questions. What’s our punishment going to be, Vrag?”

Vrag whined and stared hungrily at the bowl. “You’re not going to get strung up, nope! Not executed either! Gimme, gimme stew!” He made a grab and Thola held it far above his tiny scaly head.

“Hey, I figured that one out. Are we Kept?” Her voice slightly shook. Ecra frowned. What did she mean, Kept?

Vrag chewed his bottom lip for a few seconds, dancing from foot to foot. “Kept? Not sure, but rumors, rumors say you’re going to be Kept by Prince Tecryd, may he spare our lives and bring us to another age of prosperity!” He did a little stomp dance before speaking again. “Yup, that’s the rumor! Could be worse, could be worse, but could be much better indeed!”

Thola went pale, stew bowl slipping from her hands. Vrag managed to snatch it out of the air before it hit the ground and dumped the stew into his canteen. Some of the bigger chunks plopped on the ground but it didn’t stop the kobold from scooping them up and stuffing them in his mouth. “Yes, yes, your information is given, I’m leaving now! Enjoy your meal! Enjoy, enjoy!” He scuttled off, slamming the door behind him with a cackle.

Thola stumbled to the nearby couch before she collapsed. Ecra hurried to her side, ignoring the food for now. “Thola? What does being ‘Kept’ mean?” He asked.

For a few seconds, Thola just stared into nothing before she exploded.

“Gods damn it, Tecryd, I’m going to _kill_ you!” She screamed, pounding her fist into the ground. Her outburst shocked Braizra enough to drop his nearly empty bowl. Thola jumped to her feet and began pacing back and forth, swearing so violently in elven she managed to wake Alur.

The elf blinked wearily, managing to sit up enough to ask, “What’s going on? Thola, why are you upset?”

“We’re being Kept!” She snapped, picking up her bowl and smashing it against the wall. Alur blinked a few times before shaking his head.

“No, no, that cannot be it. Being Kept, it’s an extinct penalty, Drow have stopped doing it for-”

“Well Tecryd’s clearly not creative enough to come up with his own ways to torture us, so he’s bringing it back!” Thola threw her arms into the air and screamed again.

Ecra raised his hand. “Question, what are you talking about? What does ‘Kept’ mean?” Clearly it was something horrible if it made Thola go over the edge.

Alur seemed to age several years over a few seconds. “… Kept is… a punishment reserved for those that the drow seek to humiliate and break down, considered even more humiliating if the one Keeping us is a male drow. We no longer own our own bodies, whoever Keeps us has total control. Whatever he desires of us, physically speaking, we have no right to object.”

Ecra’s eyes widened. “You’re not saying-”

“He’s going to turn us into his little sex pets, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying!” Thola dragged her fingers through her hair, rapidly shaking her head. “This isn’t happening. This cannot be happening. He doesn’t- there’s no way he has the nerve to actually-”

“That _bastard!_”

Braizra also pitched his bowl against the wall, punching his fist into his other hand. “Let him try to ‘Keep’ me! See where it gets him!” He snapped.

“And how, exactly, are you going to prevent him from that?” Sakal deadpanned, crossing his arms. “We’re in Tecryd’s world now, we fight back, we’ll get our faces smashed in. With both mine and Alur’s magic suppressed and Herra’s familiar fucked off to the far corners of the world, no one can heal you. So unless you can think of a way to convince him not to have you on your back with your legs spread-”

“You keep your mouth shut, Sakal!” Braizra whipped around and pointed at the sylph. “If you think I’d actually lower myself to that level-”

“Oh, that’s not insulting at all, saying that trading sex for our lives will _lower_ you-”

“That’s not what I meant, sylph!”

“Then what did you mean, half blood-”

“SHUT UP!”

Herra had been silent up to this point, and now she stood up on the couch to gain the attention of the room. “Braizra, Sakal, please stop it! We’re scared, okay? Just admit that we’re all scared right now!” The two men shuffled their feet and looked away from the halfling. She sighed and turned to Thola. “What are the exact terms of being Kept, Thola? Please, we need to know the truth.”

Thola shifted about before crossing her arms and sighed. “Alur covered the bases. Whatever Tecryd wants to do to us, he has the right to. If we… cooperate,” She shuddered, “then our conditions will improve. We’ll be fed better food, given better quarters. But if that does happen, then everyone will know exactly what we’re doing to earn it. It’s openly shameful because of that. When we break and cooperate, and things start to get better, the world will know how _weak_ you are. Lots of prisoners will sooner or later be released, but by then the ridicule and the abuse will have broken your mind. Most commit suicide when they’re released.”

Herra nodded, taking a deep breath and wringing her hands together. “Okay. So there is a chance we’ll get more privileges?”

Sakal raised his eyebrows. “What are you thinking, Herra?” He asked.

The halfling paced back and forth on the couch, her hands balled up. “I’m not going to tell you guys what to do. But if there’s a chance he’ll let his guard down, then… then I’ll do what I need to do. You make your own decisions.” She took her seat again, keeping her head raised high even with the fear in her eyes.

Ecra sat beside her, his stomach still flip flopping. “Don’t do anything you don’t want to, Herra. Please,” He said, gently resting a hand onto her back.

Herra pulled on that smile she always did. “I’ll be okay. We can get through this guys, I promise.” Good old Herra. Always trying to push on. Never giving up hope.

Braizra sighed, only shaking his head. “It’ll be a cold day in hell before you see me doing that, but you do what you want. I’m gonna see about busting down the door.” He cracked his knuckles before walking over to it. “Feel free to come help, Thola! Least I know somebody isn’t going the coward’s way out!” Thola sighed and walked over, instinctively reaching to where she’d typically keep her thieves tools on her belt only to jerk her hand back and to start mumbling even more elven curses.

Well, at least everyone was finding ways to distract themselves. Ecra wondered if he could handle things the way Herra was but the mental image of Tecryd climbing on top of him was enough to make him nearly puke.

Alur wasn’t doing so well either, he was curled up on his couch, not touching his food and looked like he was witnessing his own funeral. Ecra walked up to him and sat down. “Alur, how you holding up?” He asked.

“… Not well.” Alur pushed away the bowl. “I’m not hungry anymore, I need to think.”

“Why is that-” Ecra gasped and clapped his hand over his mouth. He was an idiot. “Oh my gods, your vow!”

“Yes. My vow.” Alur turned away. “Ecra, please don’t worry about me right now. I’m aware that any sexual interaction with Tecryd would break my vow of chastity.”

“That’s not fair!” Ecra scowled. “You’re not _choosing_ this-”

“I’m aware what is and isn’t my choice.” Alur’s voice came out quite harshly before he pulled the blanket up. “Please, Ecra. Leave me alone.”

Ecra swallowed before nodding, backing away. “Okay, just try to eat some of the stew, okay? You need to gain some strength,” He said before running over to the door that Braizra was currently trying to smash.

Alur managed to get up off the couch, limping to his bedroom and closing the door behind him before sliding down to the floor as shakes overtook him.

_She told you it would happen. That this story of a blood feud and revenge would end with the breaking of a sacred vow._

This couldn’t be happening. Tecryd couldn’t be the one to break his vow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I keep dragging on all the explanations! Don't worry, next chapter you'll get what you want ;D Reviews and Kudos feed my soul!


	4. Tecryd Vs. Herra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Herra spends her first night with Tecryd.

“Pssst, Missie Tholaa!”

Thola groaned as the blanket was pulled away from her face. “Sakal, fuck off, I’m trying to sleep,” She groaned, attempting to grab the blanket back.

“Not Sakal.”

Thola’s eyes popped open to see her face was a few inches away from a kobold’s.

“Fuck!”

Instinctively Thola lashed out, swinging right for the kobold’s nose, missing by a hair as he ducked. “Missie Thola! That wasn’t niiice!” He whined.

It was Vrag. Thola sat up, rubbing her eyes to clear the sleep dust out. “What do you want? How’d you even get in here?” She hissed.

Vrag giggled and pressed a clawed finger to his lips. “Secreeeet! My secret!” He said with a wink. “I want to help you, Missie Thola!”

“Really now.” Thola resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “And what would you get out of it?”

Vrag rubbed his stomach and whined, “Food! Food, Missie Thola! I’m so hungry, slave rations are nevernever enough! Share your food, you Kept have enough for three kobolds per meal, please share!”

Aha, there it was. Thola sighed before she nodded. “All right. Every time you give me something _useful_ to work with, I’ll share a portion of my food with you. If I think you’re trying to screw me, the deal’s off and I’m letting my half orc friend use you as a punching bag. Got it?”

“Got it!” Vrag spat on his palm and extended his hand. Thola grimaced but repeated the gesture, spitting into her hand and clasping it with Vrag’s.

She pulled her hand back and asked, “All right, what’s Tecryd’s first move? Who’s he going to summon to his room first?”

“He’s giving you the choice!” Vrag glanced around, as if to make sure Tecryd wasn’t about to sprout from the walls. “Prince Tecryd, may he spare our lives and bring us to another age of prosperity, is going to make you choose, tomorrow! Send the youngest, he says!”

Thola frowned. “Braizra? Why is he picking Braizra?”

“No, no, not that one!” Vrag did a dance in place. “The youngest, the halfling or the human!”

Ah. Common misconception, that one. Thola sighed and tapped her fingers against her thigh. “Right. The weakest of the herd, least how he perceives it. Good work, Vrag. Any idea who he wants to mark as his Kept after that?”

Vrag rapidly shook his head. “No clue, he didn’t talk about that! He was just making plans for tomorrow!” He said.

Right. Well, this was still useful. “Good work, Vrag. I’ll let you have a portion of my lunch tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeeesss!” Vrag did a little dance before he scuttled out.

All right. Least tomorrow would bring no new surprises. Still though. Ecra or Herra. The human, who didn’t look like much but had the heart of a lion, or Herra, the hardy halfling that never let dark circumstances get her down?

“I’ll go.”

Herra poked her head around the door frame, clearly she hadn’t been sleeping. Thola sighed. “I suppose there’s no talking you out of it?”

“No. There isn’t.” Herra looked around cautiously before slipping into the bedroom, crawling in alongside Thola. “I know Ecra hasn’t lost his virginity yet, he blabbed about it one night after we got drunk. I’m more experienced, to say the least.”

“Tecryd is also twice your height and I know he’s above average size in that… area…” Thola glared when Herra’s jaw dropped, “Don’t ask. He might actually hurt you.”

“Eh. I’ll work with it.” Herra managed smile. “I’ve slept with people a size bigger than me before. It’ll suck, but I can get creative.”

Thola snorted and shook her head, but Herra’s smile was infectious as always. “All right. Just rely off your adorable halfling charm. That might help.”

“Awww, you think I’m adorable!”

Herra got a pillow to the face for that.

~*~

Herra could barely eat her breakfast or lunch. When Ecra asked what was wrong, she just told him she was too worried about Alur to eat, and she wasn’t entirely lying. Alur hadn’t said anything to anyone since they found out their punishment and he wasn’t eating. Their food was definitely laced with some form of healing potion, Herra felt almost back to a hundred percent. But if Alur didn’t eat, he would not heal.

Close to their second night, while Braizra and Ecra had managed to make a game out of telling the most outlandish lie to the other, the door opened and a hobgoblin peeked in. His eyes landed on Ecra and he was about to speak up when Herra stood quickly, nearly tripping over her sandals. “He’s looking for me, right?” She said, loud enough that it jerked Alur from his doze.

The hobgoblin eyed Herra up and down before snorting and gesturing her further. “I don’t care enough to argue. Come on.”

Ecra was spared for another day, she thought with a sigh. Herra forced herself to walk out the door, taking one last look behind to show her friends a smile before it shut behind her.

The hobgoblin shut the door, slamming down the lock before taking her by the shoulder and dragging her along. Herra stumbled a few times before she finally had enough and pushed off his hand. “Stop it, I’m not fighting! I’m going with you, just wait up, I have short legs!” She complained.

“Really. I couldn’t tell,” The hobgoblin snapped. “Hurry up, I have things to do tonight that doesn’t involve carting you to Prince Tecryd… may he spare our lives and bring us to another age of prosperity.”

Huh, that sounded reluctant. “Lemme guess, you were meant to be off duty by now?” Herra said.

That seemed to soothe the hobgoblin’s surly mood. “Heh, yeah. But apparently he can’t get just anyone to escort Kept from Point A to Point B.” He glanced down at her, Herra realizing that one of his eyes was blacked out but the other was a rusty brown. “You’re not so bad. What’s your name?”

“Herra Kublo.” She gave as quick a curtsy as possible. “What’s yours?”

“Salgrok of the Rotblade clan.” Salgrok stopped by the door and sighed. “Well, here you are. Can’t believe I’m saying this to a Kept but good luck.” He opened the door and lightly shoved her in. “You’re going to need it.”

Herra stumbled over the threshold and the door slammed behind her. She heard a very familiar voice hum and she turned towards the center of the room. Where the bed was.

Now she was getting the idea this wasn’t her best of life choices.

“Well, well. I thought it was to be the human to join me.”

Tecryd was reclining on a bed, enjoying a silver goblet of what Herra presumed was rice wine. He’d always had a taste for it. Herra gulped, suddenly feeling very exposed and alone. _Be brave, Herra. You can do this_. She took a deep breath before she smiled. “Decided I better go see what’s going on first. Just so Ecra has more time to calm his nerves.” Shoot, what was she supposed to do? Just stand here twiddling her thumbs? _I’m completely out of my depth_.

The drow cocked his head to the side. “Well, are you just going to stand there?” He gestured her forward with a finger. “Get over here.”

Right! Another deep breath and Herra crossed over to the bed, feeling like she was about to get sucked into the floor. She might welcome it at this point. With a bit of a hop, Herra was on the bed, her legs folded under her and her hands resting in her lap.

Tecryd took another sip before offering the goblet to Herra. “Have a drink. Do you like sake, little one?” He asked.

“I like good alcohol,” the words tumbled out before she could stop them. Her cheeks flushed and Herra took the goblet with somehow steady fingers. Feeling Tecryd’s eyes digging into her, Herra lifted the goblet to her lips and took a sip.

She lowered the glass and contemplated it. “… Very good. I’m not much of a sake person, but it’s good,” She said.

Tecryd chuckled, the sound low and pleasant to the ears. “Of course it’s good, I don’t settle for any less when I’m home.” He reached forward and lightly brushed some strands of hair from her eyes, causing her to flinch. “Oh come now, I’m not trying to _bite_ you.”

“Yet,” Herra grumbled, hiding her face in her goblet again. If only she’d had the whole bottle, then she could go into this a little tipsy.

That actually brought another chuckle from Tecryd. “You’re humorous when you’re scared,” He said.

“I’m actually not scared.” She wasn’t even drunk and here she was, speaking her mind. Herra looked up and managed to hold the drow’s scarlet stare. “True, I know you can hurt me. Even kill me. But I’m here of my own free will, and I know if you wanted me dead, you already would’ve done it without all this song and dance. So I don’t think you’ll go out of your way to cause me harm as long as I behave. And don’t kick you in the groin.”

“Very well thought out and worded, Herra. I always liked you the most out of your friends. And please don’t kick me there.” Tecryd grimaced. “I rather like that part of me.”

“No promises.”

Herra grinned after that, her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears. Tecryd narrowed his eyes before he sighed and shook his head. “You’re hilarious.”

“I’m a halfling, we’re known for being excellent sources of amusement.” For sadists that had multiple meanings, but Herra hoped she was playing her cards right to gain the drow’s favor. “I actually do have a question.”

Tecryd’s eyebrows raised. “Go on?” He said.

“It’s my familiar, Lytta. I know she’s not dead. Did you actually capture her or did she manage to get away?” How was she still holding his gaze? It was like looking into hellfire.

“Ah.” Tecryd’s mouth twisted. “The black cat escaped. She’s probably wandering the mountains looking for us now.”

Herra released a breath she wasn’t aware she had been holding. “She’ll be fine. She’s a great hunter.” And Lytta was no average cat.

“Mmhmm.” Tecryd shifted closer and Herra found herself taking in details about the drow she’d never had the opportunity to before. Usually she was avoiding getting hit with a lightning bolt to focus much on his actual features. He looked like he could’ve been carved from volcanic glass, his features flawless minus the scar over his eye. His hair had been tied back with a black string, although a few locks had escaped and sat on his shoulders.

Elves were some of the most beautiful creatures to walk the earth, so it made sense that their darker relatives were as well.

“Do you know what I called you for?”

Herra swallowed. _I can do this. I can do this. _For Ecra. She moved closer, resting her hand on his chest. He’d forgone his typical cloak, wearing a sheer dressing gown over some dark pants. She could actually see his chest, for being a magic user he was in fine shape, not bulky like Braizra but lean and with finely chiseled abdominal muscles. Her eyes finally lowered as her cheeks burned. “I know. Just… be careful. I’m not fragile, but I’m not unbreakable either.”

Tecryd’s slim fingers rested under her chin, tilting her head back up. Was that a bit of compassion on his face? “I have no intention of causing you serious harm tonight, my little Kept halfling. Let’s just focus on having fun, hmm?”

Oh thank gods acting vulnerable and shy worked. Herra had no time to celebrate her small victory as Tecryd sealed their lips together in a kiss that tasted like sake.

Herra was pushed into the mattress, Tecryd’s body holding hers down with relative ease. Her wrists were easily pinned down by one of his hands, the drow’s lips moving down to her neck and softly kissing where her pulse beat through her skin.

The collar pressed heavy on her neck as Tecryd mouthed his way down to her chest, pausing before he reached up and undid the lacing to her dress, pulling it down past her shoulders to reveal her breasts. Herra pushed off the sleeves and resisted the immediate urge to cover herself. Tecryd seemed pleased with what he saw at least, one of his hands gently rubbing her right breast.

“That dress of yours did a wonderful job of hiding your curves,” He purred before leaning in, his lips fastening around her nipple and sucking. Herra’s breath caught and a probably rather undignified sound escaped her. Immediately she clamped a hand over her mouth, her cheeks probably turning a delightful shade of crimson.

Her dress was tugged down past her ankles, along with her underclothes, and the drow prince took his time running his fingers over her hips and down her legs. Herra’s breath caught as his thumb started tracing circles between her thighs, he was already learning how to push her buttons. “H… how do you want to do this?” Herra managed to tilt her head up to look at Tecryd.

“I think… I’ll settle for just touching now. Although I’m already wondering if it’ll be even _possible_ for us to fuck,” Tecryd glanced away, was he actually embarrassed?! “Without seriously hurting you.”

“Don’t give yourself _that _much credit,” Herra laughed before she felt teeth on her thigh and she yelped. “H-hey!”

Tecryd chuckled as he lapped against the forming red mark. “Oops, how did that happen?” He mused before kissing it. “There, is that better?”

“Tease,” Herra grumbled as his lips traced up her inner thigh, although this was already going much better than she’d planned. The foreplay was a welcome, if unexpected, thing. “Wait, are you going to-”

The halfling gasped as Tecryd’s tongue licked up her folds. “Y… you are, all right then, c… carry on,” She managed to get out.

“I think you missed the part of being Kept where you’re not the one calling the shots,” Tecryd mumbled before his tongue dived back in. Herra would’ve given back a snappy comeback if she could think of one, right now her brain was frying and she was doing her damn best not to let her fingers grab onto Tecryd’s hair and pull, that would probably not sit well with him.

Her bedroom activities had typically taken place with other halflings. And while her own race was adorable, some of the more pigheaded men didn’t seem to like the idea of going down on her. Since it was the only way she’d do it for them, they’d do it with a fair amount of complaint that really wasn’t worth the effort.

The difference between drow and halfling men- you didn’t even need to _ask_ the drow before they went for it.

Herra’s gasps and soft moans echoed off the walls of Tecryd’s bedroom. Her whole body felt hot, Tecryd’s warm hands gripping onto her thighs as he continued to hungrily lap against her slit, tongue tracing patterns over her clit that made all sort of pleasant tingles shoot up her spine. This was a little wrong, but if Herra couldn’t make a good thing out of a bad situation, was she really Herra?

She felt her abdominal muscles tense up and now her hands flew on their own accord, gripping onto Tecryd’s hair. “T-Tecryd! I’m close I’mcloseI’m-” The pressure of his tongue increased and Herra came undone then with a loud cry, her back bending like a bow as she climaxed. Tecryd didn’t let up until he heard a whimper from over sensitivity, finally backing up after one more cheeky nip to her inner thigh.

“D… Damn…” Herra’s thighs shook as she levered herself on her arms, trying to come down from that incredible high. “You’re not too bad at that.”

Tecryd snorted, wiping off his mouth as he sat up. “If you call that not bad, I’d like to meet the gentleman who you’d consider mind blowing…” He shrugged off his robe and let it fall to the floor. “If you can still think straight, would you mind returning the favor?”

Oh, now it was on. With another deep breath, she scooted forward before reaching forward and undoing the tie to his breeches. “Don’t challenge a Kublo, you might not like the result,” She retorted as she pulled down his pants.

She wasn’t able to hide that initial shocked reaction when his erection bobbed free, so Thola was _not_ kidding about his size in certain ‘areas’.“So you didn’t give yourself more credit than you deserved,” She murmured as she wrapped her hand around the base. “But, and don’t get huffy, you aren’t actually the biggest partner I’ve had. Didn’t go all the way with him, but we probably could’ve.”

“And here I was thinking you were the conservative one all these years,” Tecryd commented, softly hissing as Herra slowly stroked him.

“Never judge a book by its cover,” Herra said with a wink before she licked off a forming bead of precum from the tip. Judging by how he twitched in her hand and how the drow inhaled sharply, she did something right. Running her tongue over her lips, Herra wrapped them around the drow’s cockhead and gently sucked, continuing to lap at the slit before she braved taking more of him into her mouth.

It was a stretch of the jaw, that was for certain, but it wasn’t impossible. Relying on all her experience so she didn’t push herself too far and accidentally bite him, Herra bobbed her head back and forth, her lips forming a tight seal around his cock. At least he tasted clean.

And it seemed her skill was paying off, the typically snarky and smug Tecryd was coming very quickly undone under her careful ministrations. His cheeks took on a darker shade and his breaths were coming in pants, his hand tangling in her hair but not pushing her at all.

With a hum, Herra popped off, licking her lips and smiling up at the now disheveled prince. “Did you like that?” She asked oh so innocently.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Tecryd picked Herra up, not a hard task, and pulled her up onto his lap. “Would you like to see if we can do this?” He whispered into her ear.

Herra found herself eagerly grinding her sex against his thigh. Something about the impossibility of it just got her turned on. “T… take it easy and use your fingers first, and I’ll be okay,” She said. Those thin and nimble fingers found themselves between her legs quickly and as the middle one pushed in, Herra whined and ended up biting into Tecryd’s shoulder. His fingers alone already reached so much deeper than her own could, and he already knew every little button of hers to push.

She bounced on his fingers as two more pushed in, every little squeak muffled as she pressed her face into his chest. He was surprisingly delicate with her, taking his time to add his fingers and waiting for her sounds to sound less pained to thrust them in and out.

After he pulled his fingers out, Tecryd pushed her down into the bed, the pillows practically swallowing her up. “Shall we then?” He purred.

“Go… go slow, please.” Herra didn’t beg. She was too proud to beg. But there was still the fear that she’d end up not able to walk out of here. That would be the worst humiliation.

Tecryd nodded before he lined his cock up to her entrance and after rubbing it against her wetness, pushed right in.

Herra swore she almost went blind as he entered her. So damn full, and he was only half in! He took a moment to pause, clearly unable to catch his own breath before he pressed his cock the rest of the way in.

Oh gods, this was a lot… but she didn’t feel much pain. The halfling experimentally rolled her hips, testing the waters. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” She gasped out. She was too, much to her surprise. She’d experienced more pain from smaller (but certainly more inexperienced) partners.

“You sure?” Tecryd slowly pushed in and out, swearing in elven. “You’re so tight I can barely move.”

“Tecryd, I think your dick is big as my forearm,” Herra laughed, “I think ‘tight’ is unavoidable. And if you don’t start moving I will roll us over-”

Herra cut off with a squeak as Tecryd thrust in rather sharply. Okay, stop sassing the drow. Got it.

The bed squeaked as Tecryd fucked her into the mattress. Herra’s hand found one of his and clutched on, and his fingers intertwined with his. It was hard stringing together a thought as he moved in and out of her, although when she occasionally looked down expecting to see a flood of blood, she was quite happy to see that was not the case.

“H… Herra…” Clearly her name hadn’t meant to leave Tecryd’s lips, but Herra just cut him off with a kiss before he had time to regret it.

There was going to be a time for regret later, this wasn’t it.

The sensitivity from her earlier orgasm was quickly pushing her to another one, and Herra’s hand tightened in his as she drew closer, closer… her hand slipped between their bodies and she finished herself off with a few rubs of her clit, almost screaming with the intensity of her climax. Tecryd’s breath caught and he thrust in her one more time before coming to a stop.

The drow rolled off of her and the two caught their breath as Tecryd pulled the sheets over them. Herra wiped off her forehead before experimentally moving her body. A little sore, but a good kind. “I have to admit, that went a lot better than expected.”

“I have to agree,” Tecryd said, looking over before a smile caught on his lips. “That was enjoyable. Although I am curious about this other larger partner of yours- please tell me it wasn’t Braizra.”

“Oh gods no!” Herra snorted before rolling over to her side to face Tecryd. “He’s a little young for me. No, it was a tiefling. You remember that battle at the SilverPeak, the one halfling and gnome settlement? I think that’s the first time you saw Lytta, she scratched your ankle something good. You fell over-”

“I remember, don’t need to remind me of my failures. Right, there was that ranger with the blue skin and the eagle companion…” Tecryd trailed off as he realized exactly who that was. “Are you messing with me? He was almost seven feet tall!”

“And I’m a grown woman who can make her own sexually informed choices. Just because I’m three feet tall and you taller people are obsessed with calling us childfolk doesn’t make us actually children,” Herra rolled her eyes, “We’re a bit smaller, not celibate.”

“I got that,” Tecryd tucked a wild lock of hair behind Herra’s ear, “Although with how conservatively you dressed, I didn’t pick you for the type. That wasn’t the first time I saw Lytta, by the way.”

“Oh?”

“When we first met. On the raid on Greenhill.”

Oh. God, now came the guilt. Herra couldn’t look Tecryd in the face anymore. “Feels like another lifetime ago, that. You… you saw Lytta?”

“After you nearly decapitated me with a pie dish… wait a moment. That older halfling, in the bar-”

“Yes, that was my dad, and you _murdered _him. Do we really need to talk about this right now?” Herra’s voice grew uncharacteristically hard. “Yes, I willingly just spread my legs for my dad’s _killer_, but that’s only because my options are a little low at the moment-”

Tecryd pressed a finger to Herra’s lips to cut her off. “Herra, I didn’t kill your father.”

What.

Herra blinked owlishly. “I’m sorry, you lost me. I saw you standing above his body.”

“I was, but he had been stabbed in the back with a spear. I don’t use spears. I use magic.” In demonstration, he opened his hand and a little spark danced around his palm.

She didn’t want to believe him. But she did. Herra’s breath caught. “Then who…”

“Hobgoblin foot soldier, one of the new ones. Your father had me up against the wall,” Tecryd touched his throat, “And I have to admit, I’ve never seen someone fight like him. Like a wild animal.”

“He had barbaric rage on his side,” Herra explained, still in shock over this revelation. “He used to box too. Was quite good at it and was well liked at the sport, especially because he’d buy everyone a drink with his winnings. He only settled down after he inherited the bar.”

Tecryd nodded. “I probably was going to get knocked out when the soldier came out of the hole in the wall. He saw that the prince was cornered, he reacted, albeit poorly. As much as a good back stab can be useful to end a fight, it was unnecessary that time. I could’ve gotten out of there, and I had found myself respecting the halfling with only his fists successfully fighting me off. I told the hobgoblin to leave, and then you came into the room, holding Lytta. You had your hair up… and the way your face just… broke…”

“You left.” Herra felt tears trailing down her face. “You left me there. I thought you didn’t even see me, which is when I grabbed the pie dish and threw it at the back of your head. Probably the only time I’ve ever wanted to have a spell that hurt someone was right then.”

“I saw you. I just assumed you were a relative, which I only confirmed just now. As someone who’s also lost their father, I… I’m sorry.”

“I mourned.” Herra wiped off her face before she smiled. “I mourned. I raged. I yelled at every god. I curled up in bed, not wanting to get up in the morning or ever again. But I accepted it. And thank you for telling me how it happened. I always wondered, you know?”

With a grunt, Herra slid out of bed and picked up her dress, pulling it on. Tecryd rolled over to the edge. “You can stay here tonight,” He offered.

“Eh, you’ll probably not be able to resist my beauty and will try going for round two,” Herra winced as she pulled the ties, “And I’m gonna tap out now. I can make it back to my room, thank you. And I’m sorry about your dad, too. Can I ask what happened or…”

Now the Tecryd she’d learned to be cautious around surfaced, his eyes narrowing and his lips curling into a sneer.

“You mean your holier than thou paladin didn’t tell you? Did you really think this little ‘crusade’ of his was all for justice and the good of all? Ask about his earring. If he dodges the question or gives you some sentimental bullshit, then you can ask me again.”

Herra found herself instinctively ducking from the typical violence that came from Tecryd when he talked like that. She could see Tecryd immediately regret his choice, but before he could say anything else Herra ducked out the door and was gone, gingerly walking back to the Kept Quarters.

Had Alur been hiding something from them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, SEX! Took me long enough. You know what also took me long enough? 
> 
> Creating a tumblr! https://ladyluciet.tumblr.com! I still need to add all my works there, but I'm making a page of OCs specifically for this story, and I used a dollmaker on rinmaru to create their likenesses! Go follow me there to see my progress on other sexy fics or to chat with me, I'm friendly, I don't bite. 
> 
> Bye for now!


	5. Ecra's Turn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ecra and Tecryd take a walk.

“You’re back!”

Ecra hadn’t gone to sleep. How could he? All he could imagine was horrible fates for poor Herra, her screaming for mercy, Tecryd wrapping his hands around her throat and choking her right before he-

Well, it didn’t bare thinking about, because Herra walked in and looked almost the same as she left. Her hair was a sight and there was a slight limp to her step, but she was okay. Ecra practically flung himself to the ground as he gave her a hug. “You’re okay? Like, I know you’re probably not ‘okay’ but-”

“Ecra, you’re squishing me,” Herra mockingly gasped for breath before tightly hugging Ecra back. “I’m fine. Let me take a bath and we can talk, okay?”

Ecra nodded and released his friend, who smiled. “Go to bed, goofball,” She said, poking him on the nose before walking to the bathroom.

It was about half an hour before Herra came into Ecra’s room, her wet hair tied back into a braid. She crawled beside him in bed and nuzzled right up to his chest. Ecra wrapped his arm around her middle and twirled the end of her braid around his fingers. The two laid in silence for a bit before Ecra swallowed and decided to just go for it. “So how was it?” He asked.

Herra hummed softly. “Not horrible. Maybe if I wasn’t Kept, I’d even consider it one of the better one night stands I’ve had. He was careful. Surprisingly so. I’m a little sore but that was always going to be a given. And I think I can keep it up. Charming him, anyway. If I play my cards right, maybe I can even get all of you out of joining him in bed-”

“I can take it too,” Ecra blurted out.

The halfling craned her head up to look at him. “Ecra, don’t say that just because you feel you have to. I might be able to take it for all of us. I earned his respect and he finds me attractive… Ecra, he’ll be your _first_.”

“And there’s no way in hell I’m gonna let you do this by yourself.” Ecra shook his head. “A-anyway, don’t you say that virginity is bullshit anyway?”

“Don’t you take me out of context, you brat.”

All the same, Herra looked relieved. “I can… I guess give you tips? If you want some, anyway.”

Ecra sighed. This was the right choice. Maybe it wasn’t the easy one, but frankly, wasn’t it his fault they were in this mess anyway? “I think I can figure it out. Maybe Tecryd has kink for teaching,” He said.

Herra giggled. “Oh, I wouldn’t put it past him. Here’s what I can share with you though- don’t show him any fear. Stay calm, I know you can be a hot head. And if you don’t want to do it again afterwards, I’ll just take your place, okay?”

Ecra nodded, although he knew he’d never want her to take his place. Not ever. Gods knew how mad Tecryd would be if they disobeyed him.

~*~

“Breakfast! Breakfast, move it, mean old orc! Away from the door!”

Vrag scuttled past Braizra’s feet and set the trays on the table. “Where’s the elf?” He asked, craning his little neck around to see everyone but the eldest of their party present.

“Meditating, he tends to do that every morning,” Ecra opened up his tray to see two biscuits and some dried meat. Not bad, but some part of him wouldn’t mind something a little sweeter. Some fruit, maybe?

_Maybe you’ll get fruit if you cooperate tonight-_

Would he call him tonight though? I mean, how crazy was this drow’s libido, anyway? Ecra pointed to the package that Vrag had strapped on his back. “What’s that for?”

“What’s what- ohohoh! I forgot!” Vrag slipped the package free and looked around again. “It’s for Missie Herra! Where’s Missie Herra?”

“You don’t need to call me ‘Missie’, just Herra will do.” Herra slipped into the sitting room, her fingers combing through her hair. “What’s in the package?”

Vrag cleared his throat. “I have a speech I’m suppose to give, I can’t remember it… ohyes I do!” Vrag stood up as tall as he could, which was not very tall at all. “For your obedience and charming presence last night, Prince Tecryd, may he spare our lives and bring us to another age of prosperity, has deigned to give you a present!”

“Oh!” Herra blushed, her hands flying up to her mouth. “W-well, tell him thank you. What’s in it?”

The kobold shrugged. “Beats me!” With another wave, Vrag scuttled off and slipped out the door.

Herra opened the package, ripping off the paper before lifting out a dress. A dress made of red velvet, a shade darker than the collar that remained on her neck. “Oh my. I don’t know if I can wear this,” Herra laughed nervously as she ran her fingers over the chest area, “It’s a bit… revealing?”

Braizra choked on his biscuit. “Revealing?” He repeated.

Herra bit her lip before getting up. “I’m going to put it on, be right back,” She said.

As she was in the bedroom, Braizra shuddered quietly. “I’d rather throw Tecryd in a pit of dogs than get a present for ‘charming’ him,” He said.

Thola rolled her eyes. “Trust me, Braizra- you’re the farthest thing from charming.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Ecra shook his head. “I’m just glad Herra’s taking it okay,” He said.

Sakal swallowed the lump of meat in his mouth. “Some people take to whoring easier than others. I mean, if Tecryd brought me in last night, we’d already be free to lick our wounds far away from here. But pretty dresses are a great step forward.”

Herra softly cleared her throat and the group turned. Braizra's jaw dropped and for once Thola didn’t call him out for gawking. This dress was probably not revealing by most’s standards, but not everyone had Herra’s generous chest. The dress just reached above her ankles, said bare ankles having matching golden anklets. So typically the witch halfling dressed modestly and simply, with blouses that reached her neck in length and skirts that brushed the ground. Seeing her velvet and jewelry was a new experience.

“So, how do I look?” She asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Thola just raised two thumbs up. Sakal also gave her a thumbs up and said, “I’m sorry, but when did you become the hot one of our party?”

Ecra snorted and tried to hide his smile. “Uh oh, Sakal’s jealous.”

Finally Braizra lifted up his jaw and cleared his throat. “Well, you look beautiful, Herra.”

“Thank you guys,” Herra beamed.

“I just wish you didn’t get them from _him_.”

Thola kicked Braizra in the ankle, but Herra didn’t seem offended. “I know. I’m playing a dangerous game right now, and it’s in the bed of the enemy. But I can play it,” She said.

Braizra sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know how you can take it from a man who killed your dad-”

“Apparently it wasn’t him!” Herra perked right up. “We got to talking, er, afterwards. He told me exactly what went down, he was stabbed in the back by a hobgoblin. Not Tecryd.”

Braizra raised an eyebrow. “And we’re just going to believe him?”

“No, she’s probably not wrong,” Thola stroked her chin, “At this point, Tecryd gains nothing by lying. And he’s sentimental after he comes.”

Sakal took the wrong moment to take a sip of water, he ended up choking and pounding his chest to clear his airway. After coughing a few times, he slowly turned to Thola. “I’m sorry, how _exactly_ do you know this?” He said.

Thola sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I knew this was going to come up,” She murmured before she straightened her shoulders. “I’d rather you found out from me, anyway. But before I joined the party, I… well, Tecryd and I were close. We had been for a long time, when I was a kid he was like my big brother. And when I grew up, our relationship changed.”

“So you were fuck buddies,” Braizra snorted, “That explains a lot.”

The drow’s ears tilted down. “It was more than that,” She said quietly.

Ecra’s eyes widened. “How much more?” He asked.

“… He asked me to marry him, about two months before I set Ecra, Herra, and Alur free from their pen.”

The mood in the room audibly changed, Herra gasping and her hands flying up to her mouth while Braizra looked like he got hit by a charging bull. Ecra shook his head. “You never brought this up before,” He said.

“Because I told him no,” Thola’s ears tilted down even more, “By then I was starting to have doubt in what I was doing. I said at the time it was because that’s not how things are done, a male drow doesn’t propose in our society. It was a pretty shit excuse though, even at the time.”

“You probably broke his fucking heart, nice to find out he has one,” Sakal whistled, flopping back and nearly tipping off the back of the couch, “Okay, these couches need _backs_! I’m gonna break my neck!”

Thola just shook her head. “Gods, way to kill the mood. But now you know. Before you ask, our relationship has long cooled off. Stabbing someone in the back tends to do that… and yes, I mean that metaphorically and literally.”

Braizra chuckled before reaching over and patting her shoulder. “I’m glad it’s over. You deserved better,” He said.

“Of course I do.”

Herra cleared her throat. “There is one other thing. That Tecryd brought up,” She paused until everyone’s eyes were on her and continued speaking in a lower voice, “He said something about Alur. Something about them having a past, before the war. Something about his father?”

“Well, it wasn’t the whole ‘Alur killed his dad’ plot twist, Tecryd’s actually a few decades older than Alur,” Thola said.

“He told me to ask about Alur’s earring,” Herra tapped her right ear. “Ecra, do you know where he got it? You’ve been with him longer than all of us.”

Ecra shook his head. “No, and he’s never mentioned him and Tecryd having a history. Just that he was pursuing him a long time. I’ve never seen him without the earring, now that you mention it,” He said. “But come on guys, this is Alur. The guy’s an actual hero. Do we really want to trust the word of a manipulative dick sorcerer over the man that’s the reason we’re all together?”

Herra turned to Thola. “How did Tecryd’s father die?” She asked.

“Oh gods, we’re going there.” Thola sighed. “I mean, this all happened long before I was born, but it was one of the events that triggered the war with the world above. It was a border skirmish between elves and drow, things got out of hand, no one’s sure who shot first but when the dust cleared two drow and four elves were killed. One of those drow was one of Queen Ayril’s husbands, Dhorn. She had three, but it was clear that Dhorn was her favorite. When she got the news, the stress made her go into early labor. Tecryd nearly died. It’s why she dotes on him so much and why he has rank.”

Wow. Herra shook her head. “He never even got to know his dad, that’s so sad. But how is this connected with Alur?”

“It can’t be, right?” Ecra interjected. “If Alur wasn’t even born yet, this just means Tecryd’s messing with us. He wants us to start doubting Alur.”

“Now that is probably right,” Thola agreed, “Don’t think about it too hard, Herra. He’s still a bastard. Always has been.”

Herra might’ve nodded, but her eyes still darted to Alur’s bedroom door.

~*~

God, Ecra missed having the freedom to go outside.

The human was lounging in the sitting room, everyone else had gone to bed. He couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t because of what Herra said of course, but it was just the _waiting_. He knew what was coming, probably tomorrow since there was no hob coming to their door tonight to escort one of them to Tecryd’s bedroom.

“All right, fuck it,” Ecra grumbled before getting up and giving the doorknob a tug.

The door opened and Ecra was face to face with Tecryd.

The drow’s eyebrows rose slowly at the flabbergasted Ecra. “Did you hear me coming or-”

“No. I didn’t. This was just really uncomfortable timing.”

The most awkward pause happened before Ecra cleared his throat. “What do you want? Herra’s asleep. So is your ex girlfriend,” He said.

“My ex-” Tecryd groaned and rubbed his temples, “She _told_ you?”

“Oh yeah.” Ecra glanced out behind Tecryd’s shoulder. “Listen, I can’t sleep, you know I’m not going anywhere without my friends. Can I _please_ take a walk?”

Tecryd considered this for a moment before smirking that very punchable smirk. “That tends to be a privilege for Kept who behave. Are you going to behave?” He said.

Right. Ecra took a deep breath before looking up at Tecryd. “… I can behave,” He grumbled.

“Then come on. We can walk together.”

Damn it. No quiet time to clear his head. Ecra nodded before walking out, staring at his feet. “So, why were you at the door again?” He asked.

“I was going to check on Alur. The little kobold told me he isn’t eating, or at least not full portions.”

Ecra groaned. “Damn it. I thought we’d finally convinced him to eat this morning, his bowl was empty.”

“He gave most of it to Vrag. Who in turn told me for more food.” Tecryd shook his head. “Vrag’s one motivation in life is eating. You can bribe him to do anything with enough food.”

“I got that. How do you think we figured out why you decked us out with new accessories?” Ecra shoved his thumb under the collar and actually got a smile out of Tecryd for that one. “I’ll eat with him tomorrow.”

“And already your little crush couldn’t be more obvious.”

Ecra tripped over a slightly mislaid stone in the floor, Tecryd having to catch him before Ecra landed on his face. “I don’t have a crush!” He yelped as he settled back on his feet.

“Mmhmm.” Tecryd cocked an eyebrow. “No little heart flutters as he says that’s a job well done or passionate dreams waking you up in the middle of the night?”

“There have been no wet dreams,” Ecra said through gritted teeth.

Tecryd chuckled and Ecra wondered if punching him was worth it. “But heart flutters?” The drow asked again.

“Listen, if I’m not allowed to harass you about your failed relationship with Thola, then you’re not allowed to judge nineteen year old me who was still getting over their first girlfriend.” That was all that drow bastard was going to get.

Although Ecra might’ve gone too far, judging by how Tecryd’s breath caught and his jaw tightened. They walked in silence before the quiet got too much.

“Sorry. That was a dick move. But you literally almost killed me like… ten times? Twenty?” Ecra began to mockingly count up on his fingers. “Oh, no, that’d be about five hundred thousand times. So I think one joke about Thola makes us even.”

“That is literally impossible.” That did bring the mood back up though, Tecryd’s shoulders visibly relaxing. “So who was the girl?”

Her name left Ecra’s lips before he could stop it. “Linette Winterdream,” He said with a soft sigh.

“_Another_ elf? Is there a fetish going on here I need to know about?”

Ecra rolled his eyes. “You’re hilarious, you should stop this whole conquer the elven kingdoms and pick up a minstrel act. And Linette was only half elf. Her dad was a human. She grew up in the town my family lived near, we were close to the same age, she was…” He trailed off. “I don’t really talk about her often, but she was probably the only thing I regret leaving behind when I joined up with the army.”

“You loved her then,” Tecryd said.

“I mean, I was a dumb teenager, but I did.” Ecra fiddled with his collar. “She was always polite, but whenever she got like really over the top with her manners, it was because you’d ticked her off. And when she got mean, no one could cut deeper. But she loved animals, and nothing could stop her from helping them. We rescued this puppy when we were like fifteen, she called it Happy and it followed us everywhere. People used to say Happy was training us for when we had kids. That always made Linette grumpy though. She didn’t want kids. Don’t blame her either, considering her own childhood was a bit of a cluster fuck. Humans outside of our little village thought she was this exotic lady, and elves other than her mom thought of her as an embarrassment.”

“That tends to be how elves think, yes, when it comes to their half breeds,” Tecryd agreed. “Why did you break up? Sex become an issue?”

“God, you ever hear about being _subtle_, Tecryd?” Ecra scoffed. “And no, it wasn’t. I was going to join up in the army, she wasn’t going with me, we agreed to part ways. It wasn’t because we stopped caring about each other, we just had different plans in life.”

Tecryd came to a stop, grabbing the back of Ecra’s shirt to prevent him from going any farther. Using what little common sense he had, Ecra put together real quick he was in front of Tecryd’s bedroom door. Now things felt a little more real, like Ecra needed to run the fuck away as fast as he could. Go back to bed, hide under the covers, the monsters can’t get you under there.

Instead, he pretended he had Herra’s guts and stood firm. “And if the whole point of that conversation was to figure out if I’m a virgin, I am. Linette and I only went as far as oral,” God, even saying that made him blush, “And I’ve never done anything with another guy. I don’t even think I’d want to if I had the option.”

“I was actually enjoying hearing you talk, it’s not often I got to hear you say things that weren’t riddled with grade school insults aimed at me. And let’s be honest with ourselves, the virginity thing isn’t a large surprise.”

“Gods, you _still_ have the most punchable face.”

Tecryd only continued to grin before pulling Ecra back. This close, Ecra found himself lost in the pure red of Tecryd’s eyes. Thola didn’t have eyes like that, they were pure white, sometimes silver when the light was right. Tecryd had demon eyes.

“Were you trying to take a walk because you were feeling restless?” The drow leaned down, his breath hot on Ecra’s ear. “I think I can help with that.”

Ecra swallowed, his throat going dry.

_He was going to go for Alur if you didn’t pop into his sights. This will be far more traumatic for him than me._

Feeling like he was diving straight into the deepest part of the ocean with an anchor wrapped around his ankles, Ecra reached forward, letting his fingers brush against Tecryd’s. “I mean… all right,” He said, hating how his voice sounded so quiet.

You didn’t have to see Tecryd’s smirk to know it was on his damn smug ass face. The drow opened the door and tugged Ecra in. The door closed and Tecryd pounced, pushing Ecra against the door and pressing their lips together.

Okay, the _kiss_ was completely unexpected. For a moment too long, Ecra just stood there like a dead fish, simultaneously having a brain blank other than ‘holy shit why is this goddamn drow so tall’ and ‘WHY IS HE KISSING ME’.

Luckily you never really forget how to kiss. Ecra’s lips parted to let Tecryd’s tongue dive in, rubbing hungrily against Ecra’s own. Letting the drow take the reigns was fine with Ecra, Linette had tended to do the same.

Oh damn it, maybe Ecra did have a thing for elves dominating him.

Tecryd’s hand slipped up Ecra’s shirt, brushing past old and new scars before tweaking Ecra’s right nipple. That got a squeak from Ecra, which made Tecryd chuckle against his mouth and just pinch him again. The kiss parted, Ecra gasping for air and Tecryd only mildly out of breath. Ecra squirmed as Tecryd’s hand continued to explore his chest. “Sensitive, aren’t you?” Tecryd murmured.

“S… shut up, it’s been a while,” Not since Linette. “Just um, tell me what you want.”

“What I want?” Tecryd hummed before fisting Ecra’s shirt and dragging him backwards to the bed. “I can think of many things, but right now I have this mental image of you on your knees that I just have to see come to life.”

Oh _god_. Ecra let himself be pulled along and dropped to his knees as Tecryd took a seat. The drow unlaced his breeches and pulled his cock out. Ecra nearly choked on air when he saw it, it wasn’t even fully hard and somehow Herra let that fuck her?!

Suddenly he had a whole new respect for his little halfling friend.

“You look impressed, I take it you haven’t seen one like this before,” Tecryd mocked, looking as proud and smug as ever.

“Stop teasing me,” Ecra grumbled before he licked his lips. Okay, this could not be that hard. With his cheeks burning and heart in his throat, Ecra leaned forward and gave the head a very nervous lick.

The drow’s fingers lightly combed through Ecra’s hair. “Come on now, it won’t bite,” He said. The hand in his hair was a small comfort, so with another deep breath Ecra wrapped his hand around the base of Tecryd’s length and his lips around the tip. It really just tasted like skin, with a little salt at the tip where he continue to cautiously lick.

“Not bad, take a little more in your mouth now,” Tecryd said with a pleasant sigh.

Maybe Ecra wasn’t too far off about that teaching kink after all. Ecra slowly bobbed his head down before getting halfway and hitting his gag reflex. He immediately pulled off to avoid any accidental teeth coming down. “Don’t say a _word_, just give me a second,” the human growled, rubbing Tecryd’s length a few times before diving back in. Again, he could only go so far before he just couldn’t get any more in, but his hand could rub what he couldn’t fit in this mouth. Linette had done the same thing until she figured out to deepthroat, and well, Ecra wasn’t in a hurry to learn that. Especially for this bastard.

Besides, Tecryd’s cock didn’t seem to mind, with how it hardened and started leaking more precum. That made a small part of Ecra’s brain far too pleased, that he was able to pleasure Tecryd like this.

Ecra finally had to pull off to catch his breath. “My jaw is going to kill me in the morning,” He complained.

“You were doing quite well though,” Tecrd’s foot moved forward and nudged at Ecra’s crotch, “And you like to know you’re doing a good job, aren’t you?”

_OhfuckmeWHYAMIHARD-_

“That’s not what you think!” God, Ecra was going back to his friends with a permanently red face. “It’s just been a long time! My brain’s confused!”

“Really now?” Tecryd applied just a little more pressure and Ecra gasped. “I think this part of you certainly isn’t confused at all. I think it likes to serve. And I like people who get off on serving.”

Ecra was dragged onto the bed and Tecryd dragged him in for another hungry kiss, pushing up the human’s shirt and dragging his nails down on Ecra’s pale skin. _Oh_, that should not have felt as good as it did! Whining, Ecra wiggled out of his pants and underclothes, which was an easier said than done task with Tecryd’s body eagerly grinding up against him.

The lines of doing this because he had to and actually genuinely enjoying this were going to get blurred so damn fast.

Tecryd pulled free of the kiss to yank off Ecra’s shirt, possibly ripping it but who cared? Ecra gripped onto Tecryd’s own shirt and pulled it up and over Tecryd’s head. “Okay, there’s a rule against sorcerers being ripped, and you’re breaking it,” Ecra complained as he got a look at what Tecryd had to offer.

“I’m not ‘ripped’, I just take good care of myself. And you’ve seen me without a shirt before, remember when you caught it on fire? Or was that Herra that tripped me into the fire pit?” Tecryd said as he finished unclothing himself, pulling down his breeches the rest of the way.

“That would be Herra.” Oh man, that was one of the funniest days in Ecra’s life. Tecryd yelping and doing a little dance as he wiggled out of his cloak and tunic was _priceless_. “And I wasn’t exactly checking you out-”

Ecra cut off as Tecryd’s fingers trailed up Ecra’s cock, now achingly hard. “You’re all pent up, are you going to finish even before we’re started?” The drow murmured, pressing this thumb against the reddened head.

“I-I won’t,” Ecra groaned, oh god, he was not going to blow so soon.

“Good. Because I’m telling you now, don’t come until I tell you.”

Fuck that sent _something_ shooting up Ecra’s spine. He wasn’t sure what that feeling was, but it sure as hell wasn’t bad.

Tecryd temporarily got off Ecra to grab a small bottle off the side table. “Spread your legs,” He ordered and Ecra immediately did so, deciding to be embarrassed when he wasn’t so turned on.

Coating his fingers in an oil that smelled faintly of sandalwood, Tecryd slipped his hand between Ecra’s quivering thighs and gently prodded at Ecra’s hole. The sound that slipped from Ecra’s lips when Tecryd pushed the first finger in was like nothing that he’d made before. “Nice and tight, never even touched yourself down here?” Tecryd murmured as he pushed that finger in and out.

“O… once… with Linette watching,” Ecra admitted.

“She tell you to do it?”

Ecra nodded and hissed as another finger was pushed in.

“I might need to have you do that for me sometime then. Maybe I should have you play with one of those glass toys I hear so much about instead though, watch you ride it until you’re a mess…”

Ecra whined as those fingers pressed around inside him, sure it didn’t feel _bad_, but what was he looking for-

The moment Tecryd’s fingers brushed that little spot inside of him that felt so good Ecra nearly lost his head, moaning and throwing his head back. “Ah ah ah, don’t come,” Tecryd ordered as he insistently rubbed it.

“F… fuck, you’re so cruel,” Ecra whined, biting onto the back of his fist as he forced himself back from that ledge he was so close to teetering over.

“I’m nowhere near done with you though.”

Oh, was that a blessing or a curse? That third finger pushed in then, Ecra grabbing the base of his cock and squeezing to prevent himself from finishing. He was already a goddamn mess and Tecryd wasn’t even fucking him yet.

What the hell was _wrong_ with him?

Tecryd pulled his fingers free and Ecra finally could breathe again. “Gods, I’m so going to regret this in the morning,” He moaned.

“Forget tomorrow’s regret, think about me and only me right now.”

Again, why the hell was that turning him on? Tecryd finished coating his length in that same oil before he grabbed onto Ecra’s thighs. “Relax,” Was his final order before he thrust his cock inside.

“Oh, _fuck_, Tecryd!”

Ecra grabbed onto Tecryd’s shoulders, squeezing tightly as he felt stretched to the limit. Tecryd groaned quietly as he pushed the rest of the way in, Ecra whimpering as Tecryd’s hips finally brushed against his ass. There was no way in hell he was walking anywhere later.

It was just far too much for any man to deal with, and when Tecryd started moving in and out all Ecra could do was hang on and do his best not to finish.

“You’re gripping so tightly on me, you’d think you’d never want my cock to leave your ass,” Tecryd growled into Ecra’s ear and Ecra couldn’t stop himself from moaning. “… Huh, so you do speak elven.”

Ecra hadn’t even realized Tecryd had been speaking elven before Tecryd pushed his legs back and really began to fuck into him. There was no way in hell Ecra could be quiet now, crying out and grabbing onto the sheets in an attempt to anchor himself down. That wasn’t him begging to come, was it?

“P-please, let me finish, I want to come on your cock…”

Oh god damn it, it was. Ecra weakly looked up and saw Tecryd breathing hard now, his eyes burning holes into Ecra’s face. The drow wasn’t finished yet though, pushing one of Ecra’s legs over his shoulder and really pounding into him. “Call me master,” Tecryd growled.

He really was that type, wasn’t he? Ecra originally opened his mouth to say hell no, he really did, until Tecryd thrust so deep inside of him that his brain frazzled out.

“M-master!” Ecra wailed, almost tearing the sheets he was gripping them so tightly. “Master, please! Let me come!”

“Keep begging like that, I might.”

Ecra groaned as his cock throbbed, he wasn’t thinking straight, no way he’d call fucking Tecryd ‘master’ if he wasn’t so worked up. But he did. “Master, please, I can’t take it anymore.” Ecra rolled his hips up against Tecryd’s wild pounding into him. “Let me come, please, master.”

Tecryd breathed in sharply before he nodded.

“Come for me, pet.”

Ecra came undone right as Tecryd called him ‘pet’, seed shooting out over his chest as Ecra screamed for his master. Tecryd fucked him right through his orgasm, almost to the point where Ecra had to call him off because it stopped feeling good and was starting to hurt when he slammed in one more time and swore in elven.

Ecra felt something warm drip out of him as Tecryd slowly pulled out, flopping out beside the exhausted human. Right now Ecra felt float-y, almost like he wasn’t even there. Should he go? Should he stay here? Should he offer to clean Tecryd up? How the hell would he even do that, his legs felt like jelly and there was no way he could stand.

Tecryd petted Ecra’s head again and Ecra leaned into the touch. “Just go to sleep, I think you’ll be able to go to sleep just fine now,” The drow murmured before pulling down Ecra’s collar to suck a mark into his neck.

Ecra drifted off into a land with no dreams or nightmares, just pleasant rest.

~*~

Far away, at the caravan of traveling performers, a cloaked woman sits next to one of the performers strumming away at her lute. The performer threw her ginger ponytail behind her shoulder and grinned at the stranger disarmingly. “You’re not from around here, are you?” She asked with a sultry wink.

The cloaked stranger didn’t respond to the flirt. “No. I’m looking for someone, actually.”

“Oh? A boyfriend, maybe?” The performer set down her lute. “Or a relative?”

“A friend.” The stranger pulled down her hood, dark brown hair tumbling out over her shoulders. Her dark almond shaped eyes pierced right through the performer. The stranger tucked a lock of hair behind one of her delicately pointed ears. “He’d be about twenty-two. Human. Chestnut brown hair, eyes like the sky on a clear day. Freckles, a contagious smile. He may or may not be traveling with an elven paladin with gold armor.”

The performer chewed her bottom lip. “The human doesn’t ring any bells, but a paladin with gold armor does. I don’t have good news on that front though. Rumor has it he and his band of merry men failed an assassination attempt on Prince Tecryd, the drow. They were all captured and taken back to the Underdark capitol.”

The stranger breathed in sharply, her hand flying to the dog by her side to pet it for comfort. “Where is the nearest entrance to the Underdark then?”

“I wouldn’t know, I’m a kitsune, not a ratfolk or a kobold and thankfully not a drow. I like the sun too much.” The performer shrugged. “I’m sorry. Good luck on finding your boyfriend, though.”

The stranger nodded, not letting a single expression escape onto her face.

“Thank you. I feel I’m going to need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update is so late! I got distracted by other things. 
> 
> Comments and kudos give me life!


	6. The Clash of the Exes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thola is done with Tecryd avoiding her.

_Every single part of my body hurts. Why does every single part of my body hurt._

Ecra groaned as he woke up again, wincing as a sharp pain shot up his lower back. He attempted to roll out of bed, only to bump right into another body. A body that grumbled quietly, “Five more minutes…”

Oh. Right. Ecra was not in his own bed.

The human opened his eyes to look right at Tecryd. The drow’s typically neatly tied back hair was a sight to say the least, silver strands every which way. It would be almost funny to see Tecryd’s bed head if Ecra didn’t remember why he was in there.

Oh gods, had he really begged _Tecryd_ of all things? And called him master? What the hell was wrong with him? Ecra hissed as he sat up. This wasn’t the kind of sore that came after getting his butt handed to him in battle, this was more along the lines of whenever he’d trained too hard. And he really didn’t want to be sitting right now. Wincing, Ecra slid back down to his back before pushing back the blanket to see the damage.

Huh, he didn’t remember cleaning up afterwards. But he didn’t feel any dried oil (or anything else) between his legs or on his chest. There were scratch marks still from where Tecryd dragged his fingers down, but he was clean.

Had Tecryd actually cleaned him up before he went to sleep? Huh… that was… actually kinda nice.

“Why are you jostling around so much? It’s too gods damned early for this.”

Yeah, Tecryd was now awake, and judging by how his one open eye was glowering at him he wasn’t too happy about it. Ecra sheepishly grinned. “Sooo, not a morning person?”

“No, shut up and go back to sleep.” Tecryd grabbed a pillow and smacked Ecra with it. Ecra nearly smacked him with the pillow back but decided not to push it. Thola wasn’t a morning person either and Ecra had gotten on her bad side for about a month when he made the mistake of waking her up.

So instead Ecra did the only logical thing he could at the moment and snuggled up to Tecryd. Tecryd murmured something indescribable before wrapping his arm around Ecra and kept him close. Like a child would with a toy.

Ecra wasn’t short, he was about average for a human, but it was strange being the smaller partner during cuddling. He and Linette were almost exactly the same height, and although Sakal was incredibly clingy, he was much shorter and petite. It wasn’t bad… it’d be better if Ecra wasn’t basically Tecryd’s bitch, but it could be far worse.

“I can almost hear you thinking,” Tecryd sighed and reopened his eyes, “What is going through your mind right now?”

“Right now?” Ecra leaned his forehead against Tecryd’s chest. “Last night… I was… acting…”

“Actually tolerable?” Tecryd chuckled and Ecra practically melted when he felt the drow’s hand comb through his hair. “Oh, you mean submissive.”

Ecra groaned. “Yeah, let’s call it that. God, if you tell anyone-”

“I won’t. I can’t get you to act like that again if you’re embarrassed about it after all.” Tecryd pressed his finger to his lips. “It can be our little secret. Pet.”

“If you try to jump me right now, I’ll kick you. I feel like I’ve been fucked by a minotaur.” So not worth it. Nope.

“While I appreciate the compliment, I think you’re giving me too much credit.” After pressing a kiss to Ecra’s forehead in an honestly rather cute gesture, Tecryd sat up and cracked his back. “You are going to stay right there while I get someone to bring us breakfast. Stay.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

“I already fucked you.”

Good point. Ecra let his eyes slide back closed as Tecryd slipped on his dressing gown. Mmm, this bed was super nice. He’d almost dozed back off when he heard someone enter. “Already back?” Ecra sat up, letting the blanket fall to his waist when he realized that the drow who had entered the room was _definitely not Tecryd._

The woman was similar to Tecryd only in the shape of her eyes, although hers were a few shades lighter. Her skin was almost midnight _blue_, a shade Ecra had never seen in a drow, and her hair was ivory colored, with a lock of it braided over her scalp. A silver circlet with a ruby hanging between her eyes was nearly set on her forehead. The way she stood though, the way she looked at Ecra…

“Can I help you?” Ecra croaked out, immediately pulling the blanket back up.

The woman smirked and yeah, _definitely_ related to Tecryd. “Just wanted to see one of these warriors my brother has been struggling with for a few years,” She looked Ecra up and down, “And I have to say… Not impressed. Almost a little embarrassed for the Savani name.”

Oh great, she was just like her brother. “Thank you for your evaluation, your highness. Tecryd’s just gone to get breakfast,” Ecra said, hoping she’d get the hint and go.

The princess didn’t get the memo though, just stepping closer as she continued to talk. “So, you chose to cooperate with being Kept? Does that make you a coward or just horny?” She mused.

“If I can pick, I’m picking the second one,” Ecra rolled his eyes, “I’m not a coward.”

“You aren’t? Where’s that evidence? A drow would rather kill herself than be a slave to a man,” The princess said.

Ecra’s fists balled in the blanket covering his decency, letting it fall about half way down his chest. “I chose this so my friends don’t have to get hurt for a mistake I made on the battlefield. If I killed myself, that would leave them alone to their fates. I’m taking my punishment, I think that’s braver than what you’re suggesting,” He said.

The princess narrowed her eyes and Ecra realized he might have taken a step too far. Then she just quietly laughed, her hand reaching up to hide her smile. “Maybe I misjudged you then. You just look pathetic, it’s a very good way to throw your enemies off,” She said.

“I mean, I’m the reason Tecryd has that scar over his eye so maybe that is-”

“Repeat that?”

Now the princess seemed taken off balance. Ecra swallowed before drawing a line over his right eye. “The scar. I gave him that the first time we met. It threw him off enough for my side to get the upper hand. We won that battle.” Talk about another lifetime ago.

“He vowed to kill you. And you’re still alive.” The princess hummed softly before curtsying. “Have a good day, Ecra.” With that, she slipped out the door, nearly bumping into Tecryd on the way.

Tecryd paused for a moment, watching his sister go, before he entered the room. “I managed to get something… why was Elrelda in here?” He asked.

“She just barged in and started insulting me,” Ecra shrugged, “I have no idea. So that was your sister?”

“My eldest sister, yes. Heiress when my mother passes on the crown.” Tecryd set the tray on the bed. Ecra’s mouth watered at the sight and smell of sliced pork, freshly baked bread with butter, slices of apple and pomegranate juice.

After pouring a cupful of juice, Tecryd handed it to Ecra before crawling back into bed. “For behaving last night,” He said before pressing a soft kiss below Ecra’s ear.

“That tickles,” Ecra murmured before taking a sip. Nice and cold too. “Why do you keep kissing me?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Tecryd asked.

Good point. Ecra dug right into breakfast, his stomach demanded it. All the while Tecryd’s hands seemed more keen on exploring Ecra than grabbing food, finger tips running over his shoulders and down his back. “I never realized you had so many scars,” Tecryd brought up when Ecra’s plate was nearly cleared.

“Most of them are below my clothes and I tend to keep them on around people who are trying to kill me,” Ecra deadpanned. “I think a few of them are from you anyway.”

“Which ones?” Tecryd cocked his head to the side before popping an apple slice in his mouth. It was just too weird seeing Tecryd this relaxed, this calm.

“Uhhhh…” Ecra pulled the blanket down to show a triangular mark on his thigh. “Well, this one came from that mercenary attack you orchestrated, not directly from you but one of your goons. Arrow.”

Tecryd nodded before he gently prodded at the gouge underneath Ecra’s left pectoral. “And this one? It looks old… and deep.”

“I was sixteen. Bandits raided my family’s farm, one of them got me with a knife. I was on death’s door for a week.” Ecra bit his bottom lip as he struggled not to giggle. “Watch it, I’m ticklish.”

“I had the idea. What about this one?” Tecryd’s fingers tiptoed to one stretching over his ribs.

“Ogres, when I was still in the army. I got slashed pretty good, but what was worse was it got infected because the guy never cleaned his sword.” Ecra snapped his fingers. “Wait, I remember one I got from you. Upper back, the one that’s crescent shaped.”

“You have enough scars to fill an armada of soldiers,” Tecryd murmured as he tilted Ecra forward to get a better look. “I see it, this was that time I threw you across the room. You got spiked on the damn wall.”

Ecra nodded as he leaned back. “God, it wasn’t even the lightning that hurt, it was the freaking spike. Seriously, who decorates with spikes?”

“I like spikes.”

“Oh look at that? No one’s surprised.”

Tecryd chuckled before his fingers brushed back Ecra’s hair. “You know, I sometimes forget you have the battle experience you do. By your age, I was only in a battle once, and I sneaked in.”

“You sneaked into battle?” Ecra bit his bottom lip to stop from laughing. “What, did your mom not let you go?” Tecryd was dead quiet and his ears tilting downwards only confirming the human’s theory. Ecra nearly fell over laughing. “Oh my god, she really didn’t!”

“She was overprotective when I was young to the point where she coddled me. I was tired of it, so I disguised myself and headed out. When I got back, she shook me so hard I nearly blacked out and made me promise not to pull a stunt like that again.”

Ecra shook his head. “Unbelievable. Were you hurt at all?”

“No, I ended up-” Tecryd cut off before finishing that sentence, his jaw tightening. “It’s late in the morning, Ecra, you should go back to your friends before they assume I have you tied up upside down with a gag in your mouth and a whip to your ass.”

He had a point. Ecra got out of bed and gathered up his clothes. “Thanks for breakfast,” He said after he got dressed, saluting before walking on out.

~*~

“He killed him. Ecra tried to do something stupid and got killed.”

Herra shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “Ecra wouldn’t do that, not without sharing his plan.”

“Then where the fuck is he?!” Braizra threw his arms up in the air. “And how did he even get out of the damn room?”

Thola shrugged. “Maybe he bribed the kobold?” She suggested.

Herra shook her head. “Tecryd probably just summoned him after we went to bed.”

“Then why isn’t he _back_?!” Braizra cracked his knuckles. “I’m going to kill that drow bastard, rip his head off, and throw it right into his mother’s lap-”

The door opened and Ecra slowly slipped inside. “Hey, I miss anything?” He joked.

“Ecra!” Herra threw herself at him in a tight hug. “Where were you, you big idiot?” She said, clinging to his legs.

Ecra laughed nervously. “Um, Tecryd’s bedroom?” He lowered his gaze as Braizra glared at him. “Sorry, it was after you were all asleep. He came in looking for Alur, and I got his attention first.”

Braizra crossed his arms with a scowl. “Did he hurt you?” He growled, looking down right murderous.

“No!” Ecra raised his hands. “I’m sore, but he didn’t, like, tie me upside down and whip me!”

Thola’s eyebrows. “That’s awfully specific,” She said.

“Because it was a joke he made this morning, you kinda had to be there, although I would rather you weren’t-” Ecra groaned. “I’m just gonna go chill in my bedroom. Braizra, don’t try killing Tecryd, I’d be really upset if you died.”

Thola watched Ecra limp inside before she followed after him. Ecra had already taken off his shirt and jumped out of his skin as she walked in. “Thola! Uh… why?”

“It’s just me and you now. You can be honest. Are you okay?”

Ecra sat down on the bed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… I think so. He just went a bit rough. And what was with the whole ‘call me master’ bit?”

“He doesn’t really do gentle- wait, master?” Thola snickered before sitting next to Ecra. “That’s a new one. He never tried that on me.”

“Wait, seriously!?”

Thola nodded. “It’s a drow thing. He wouldn’t pull the whole ‘master’ bit on me because I’m a fellow drow. He might not even try it on Herra, because she’s a woman. So did you?”

Ecra’s face went bright red as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Ummm…”

“You did.” Thola shook her head. “You probably just gave him the ego trip of a lifetime, you know that?”

Ecra sighed. “I’m well aware.”

“Well, that might be our ticket out of here, seeing you humiliated. So keep it up.”

With a pat to the top of the head, Thola walked to the door, only pausing to say, “And nice hickey,” Before leaving.

_Wait, hickey?_ Ecra felt under the collar, groaning when he felt that stretch of extra sensitive skin. “God, what is he, a teenager?” The human grumbled before flopping back on the bed.

~*~

“I’m going tonight.”

It’d been about three days since Ecra’s first time, and Tecryd had apparently been alternating between Herra and Ecra. Herra never stayed the night, Ecra always did, and both always came back with hickeys and a slight flush to their face.

And Thola was getting tired of Tecryd’s bullshit.

Herra lowered her glass of mead, as Tecryd’s last present he’d gifted a bottle of it to her on the instructions she wasn’t allowed to share it. (She still shared it a few glasses with Sakal, who was more than pleased to have some sort of variety to his diet.) “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Because both of you need some down time.” Thola held up her finger as Ecra tried to protest. “No. And I need to talk to him anyway.”

Braizra snorted. “As long as it’s not me, I don’t care,” He grumbled.

Thola nodded before the door opened. Herra waved at the hob, apparently called Salgrok, when he poked his head in. “Prince Tecryd, may he spare our lives and bring us to another age of prosperity, wants to see-”

“Me. He’s going to see me.” Thola got up and straightened her shoulders. The hobgoblin snorted before gesturing her out.

“Again, not getting paid enough to deal with this drama. Come on.”

Thola walked out, ignoring how there were some gossiping drow gawking at the once proud lover of the prince. Even a glare aimed at them didn’t stop them, they just snickered and stared pointedly at Thola’s collar.

She wasn’t one of her race anymore. She was a traitor.

Tecryd’s room hadn’t moved since the last time she’d been in here, and she had long left behind her bodyguard by the time she got there and opened the door.

“Herra, you’re here faster than usual-”

“She has shorter legs.

The prince cut off, sneering when Thola walked in. “Well then. I didn’t ask for you.”

“I don’t care.” Thola crossed her arms. “You’re avoiding me.”

Tecryd sighed before walking to the table, pouring sake into his goblet until it nearly overflowed. Only then did he lift it to his lips and take a long drink. “I already know all you have to offer, Thola Tyth. Maybe I just want to try something new,” He said, sarcasm dripping through his voice.

“Oh cut the bullshit, Tecryd. We’re both too old for that.” Thola marched up to him and snatched that goblet from his hand, taking a long drink from it.

The older drow’s jaw dropped before his lips curled in a sneer. “Fine then. Maybe I am avoiding you. But it’s only because I don’t want anything to do with you while you’re a Kept.”

“Then how will I earn my freedom?”

“I’m sorry, when did you think that would happen?” Tecryd snorted. “I have no interest in ever letting you or your friends go. Unless they do something damn incredible, you’re staying here, where you’re no longer a problem.”

Unbelievable. Thola gaped for a moment before she clenched her fist.

“Fine then.”

_Whack!_

Tecryd stumbled back, gripping onto his jaw in shock where Thola had hit him. Thola shook out her hand. “I wanted to do that since you decided collaring me was a great way to deal with your emotions,” She said.

“… You _bitch_.”

Tecryd’s eyes burned with rage as he stood up straight, his own fists balling up. Thola dodged the first swing but not the second, the fist slamming into her stomach and knocking the air from her lungs, the goblet falling onto the carpet and spilling wine everywhere. She stumbled back and narrowly avoided another hit aimed for her face.

Tucking and rolling, Thola started circling the man that was once her lover. Tecryd’s fingers danced with magical energy as he matched her step for step. “Trying to get behind me? Typical,” He mocked.

“Rogue, Tec. Always have been, even when we fucked,” Thola glanced around the room looking for even a butter knife to use as a weapon, “It’s not the rogue thing that has you so pissed.”

“Don’t. Call me that.” Tecryd quickly stepped forward, aimed another blow for the side of her head. He only succeeded in cuffing her as she dodged again. “You lost the right to call me ‘Tec’ when you tried to _kill_ me.”

“Oh please, if I wanted you dead right then, you would’ve been. Don’t flatter yourself,” Thola threw herself down and swung her leg out, catching Tecryd behind the knees and causing him to fall onto the ground. She sprung up again and scuttled backwards, searching for any weapon. She couldn’t keep up with just using her fists forever.

“Gods, I’m starting to wonder why I _ever_ gave a damn about you,” Tecryd snapped, stumbling to his feet before charging at Thola. She tried to sidestep him but he expected it, grabbing her by the hair and slamming her into the wall. Dazed, her nose started trickling blood, Tecryd dragged her back and up enough to where she had to stand on tiptoe to avoid getting her hair ripped out. “What happened to you? I used to trust you with my life.”

Thola spat blood in his face. “What happened to me? What happened to _you_? Did a little sunlight make you think that you deserved to be worshiped? Like some sort of god?” She growled.

Tecryd swung her around and threw her across the room. Thola slammed against the wall and slunk to the floor. “I’m not a god. Not yet.” He knelt down and yanked her up by her hair again. “But maybe I would’ve been a king. And maybe you would’ve been my queen.”

Thola grinned a bloody, manic smile. “Your queen?” She scoffed. “That’s the thing, Tecryd- I was never yours. _Never_.” With an angered scream, she threw herself at him, tackling him to the floor. The two rolled around on the floor, pulling hair, fists meeting flesh, clothing ripped and torn. Tecryd finally pinned her down, breathing hard, the side of his face bleeding. His face a mixture of rage, disgust… a little arousal?

Whoever initiated the kiss wouldn’t admit it, but the other didn’t push for it to stop. Thola wrapped both of her thighs around Tecryd’s waist and flipped them over to regain control. Her fingers scraped helplessly at his shirt before finally settling with tearing it open. Tecryd snarled before rolling them over again. He thankfully didn’t return the favor with her own shirt, but Thola heard a few seams pop as it was ripped over her head.

Thola screamed when she felt his teeth on her breast. He didn’t stop when she screamed, only when he drew blood did he pull away.

He dragged Thola over to the table and bent her over it, pinning both of her arms behind her back before ripping down her leggings. She definitely heard those tear. “You son of a bitch, you better replace those,” She snapped.

“Don’t count on it.”

The most undignified yelp passed her lips as he slapped her ass, yanking down her underwear and rubbing his fingers roughly against her folds. “You’re wet,” He whispered into her ear, biting the pointed tip harshly.

Thola whimpered as she ground her ass back against his hips. “And you’re hard,” She hissed back.

Tecryd chuckled darkly as he pulled his erection free of his pants. “You act like that isn’t your fault,” He said as he rubbed himself against her folds.

It took all of Thola’s willpower not to scream as he shoved himself inside, the pain a sharp knife that didn’t subside as he began fucking her. “Fucking _bastard_,” She swore as he thrust roughly.

“Language.”

Even with the pain, Thola rocked back against Tecryd in time with his thrusts, the pain just part of the game at this point. His hand slipped to her front and rubbed eagerly at her clitoris, in all the right ways that his fingers had not forgotten after these years. Thola’s eyes rolled back as she rolled her hips against that spark of pleasure.

“How is it,”

Tecryd bit into her shoulder, drawing a groan from her.

“That after all this time,”

he licked the wound nice and slow, causing her to shudder.

“You still drive me absolutely mad!?!”

Thola gasped as he pulled her hips further up and his cock started hitting against all the right spots. “And how, after all this time, you still don’t know when to shut the _fuck_ up!?” She groaned, her own hand taking his place as she pleasured herself.

In this new position she couldn’t back her sounds of bliss, each time he slammed into her was a new time to scream for him. She felt her body go tense as his fingers pushed past hers and pressed against her clit at just the right moment, and instead of a scream there was a whimper:

“Tec… Tecryd!”

She climaxed with a gasp, her whole body going stiff and clenching down on Tecryd’s cock. He grunted one last time before stilling, his whole weight nearly collapsing on top of her as he caught his breath.

They stayed like that for nearly a full moment before Thola began to squirm. “I can’t breathe, jackass, get off,” She snapped as she pushed free.

Tecryd nearly fell on his ass and Thola winced as she felt liquid heat dribble out between her thighs. “Couldn’t even control yourself enough to pull out? Or did you just not care? Wouldn’t be anything new.” She felt tired now. Tired and empty, just wanting to go back to bed. Why did she even come here?

“… What happened to us?”

Tecryd hadn’t gotten up, but he had pulled up his pants. He looked up through a swollen eye, she’d managed to sock him good. “What happened to what we had? How is it, over the course of one night, you turned on your people? Turned… turned on _me_?” His voice was struggling not to crack.

Thola sighed as she pulled her vest back on over her shirt. “Tec, that’s the problem.” With a limp, she made her way to the door, turning back one more time to look at him.

“You really think it changed over one night.”

With that, she left the room, each step a pain and each step begging her to run back to Tecryd’s side.

She wouldn’t cry. She refused to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to update faster...
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Kudos/Comments make me super happy!


	7. Sakal's Uncomfortable Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakal is summoned to Tecryd's bed.

_Alur was bound and gagged. No armor. No clothes. Completely defenseless for what he knew was coming next._

“_Aren’t you cute when you’re helpless?”_

_Alur pulled at his wrist restraints in an attempt to get away as Tecryd materialized beside him. There was something evil in those drow’s eyes. Something terrifying that sent ice prickling down Alur’s spine._

“_You’ve spent decades despising me. Loathing me. Yet look at us now, in bed like lovers.” Tecryd leaned close to Alur’s ear, lightly flicking the earring hanging from the lobe._

“_What would Farnelis think of you now?”_

_Alur shouted curses through his gag, uselessly lunging at his captor.- Tecryd just chuckled, not even flinching before he grabbed Alur’s legs and spread them as far as they could go. Alur began whispering prayers to Vyraos only to be slapped across the face. _

“_There’s only one god in here, Alur,” Tecryd spat into his hand before Alur felt a hard pressure against his hole, “**And you’re looking at him.**”_

_Alur screamed as Tecryd began pushing inside of him, ruining him forever-_

Alur shot awake, instinctively reaching for where he’d typically keep his sword only to remember where he was.

He still whispered a prayer of gratitude that what he’d just experienced was a nightmare before he sat up. He groaned as he cracked his back, he was starting to feel old kept in a prison like this. No sun to warm his face, no new adventure to head out on. The only thing he’d have to look forward was…

No, Vyraos certainly had another plan for him. Alur bowed his head in prayer as he spoke out to his god. Even in the dark, below the surface of the earth, his god could still hear him. He would still bless him in his mission to defeat the evil one.

The door slowly creaked open and Alur looked up to see Herra peaking in. Her current garb was now a deep emerald green compared to ruby red, but it made her seem more like a high class courtesan than the simple healer she was. “Hey, Alur, I have your breakfast,” She said as she came in. “Whatever Thola did last night, it got us all hot cakes with fresh berry syrup. I think she also got some wine, but she’s hoarding that for herself.”

“Did he hurt her?” Alur asked as he took his plate. The food had a sweet smell but the elf hadn’t had an appetite in days.

“She won’t say. I think they fought though.” Herra hopped up on the bed and handed Alur his fork. “You better eat, or I’m going to rebreak your ribs.”

Alur sighed before he cut himself a small piece and put it in his mouth. The syrup was incredibly tart, balancing perfectly with the sweetness of the hot cake. “And you’re okay? You’re holding up? What you’ve been doing… well…” Alur cleared his throat, this really was out of his comfort zone to talk about. “It can’t be easy.”

“I’m fine, actually. I think I’m actually getting to him!” Herra beamed. “He seems sympathetic to me, and maybe if I keep talking to him he’ll think about-”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Alur interrupted curtly as he stabbed himself another piece of hot cake, “Tecryd is evil. A clever manipulator and a cold blooded murderer. We cannot trust him to ever let us go, and I don’t think I need to remind you that he would have taken you by force if you resisted him.”

Herra’s expression fell and Alur immediately regretted his harsh choice of words. “… But perhaps gaining his trust will serve us well. Stay your course as long as you’re comfortable with it,” He said.

“I plan on it. Thanks, Alur,” Herra leaned up and pecked the elf on the cheek, bringing a smile to his face for the first time in what felt like days. She hopped off the bed and was halfway to the door before turning around. “Hey, this is out of nowhere, but where did you get that earring? It’s just… I’ve never seen you wear one in the other ear, and I’ve never seen you take it off either.”

Alur’s fork paused on the way to his mouth. He slowly lowered it and cleared his throat. “W… well, it was a gift. It’s only made of a few chunks of rough amethyst and silver chain, so it’s only worth a few copper pieces, but it’s very dear to me. I’m thankful that our captors didn’t take it,” He said. There. Not quite a lie.

Herra nodded. “Oh, I was just wondering. You rest, Alur, and finish your plate or else!” She shook her fist before heading out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Alur sighed before pushing his tray away, only to reconsider and pull it back to him. He couldn’t lead his friends if he kept starving himself. So he forced himself to take bites, even if it tasted like ashes in his mouth.

Meanwhile, Herra stood at the other side of the door, her mouth twisting.

That was not a real answer. Just like Tecryd said he’d give.

~*~

Salgrok cracked open the door, clearly sour about being the official escort for Tecryd’s Kept.

“He wants Sakal tonight. Which one’s Sakal? I really don’t care about learning your names.”

Ah fuck.

Sakal got up off the couch, putting down the glass of wine he’d been sipping on while listening to the fibbing contest between Herra and Braizra. Pity, it’d been getting really good. “It’s the prettiest one in the room, duh,” He said, setting his hands on his hips.

Salgrok snorted. “Whatever. Just hurry up,” He said.

This was just like the old days, except Sakal wasn’t drenched in cheap perfume and his shirt wasn’t cut down to his waist. Oh, and he wasn’t totally sloshed.

Salgrok eyed Sakal up and down as they walked down the palace halls to Tecryd’s quarters. “… Okay, tell me if I’m completely out of line-”

“I’m gonna be tired enough after playing with the prince, I’m not going to blow you,” Sakal deadpanned.

“What!? No! Gods, no,” Salgrok’s face twisted in disgust, “You’re _not_ my type.”

“Pretty redheaded halflings are then?” Sakal grinned as Salgrok’s cheeks went darker. “Oh my _gods_, they are!”

Salgrok lightly cuffed Sakal on the back of the head. “Shut up, don’t tell her that!” He hissed.

Sakal giggled, oh this was great. “Oh come on, any being with a pulse and a few without think that Herra’s the most attractive thing under four feet tall. You don’t stand a prayer though, sweetheart, sorry not sorry,” He said.

“Don’t I know it…” Salgrok muttered under his breath before clearing his throat. “And that’s not what I was talking about. There was this sylph a few years back.”

“Oh?” Sakal carefully kept his voice level.

“Yeah, right after Thola betrayed him, Tecryd picked up a sylph whore for a night. A male one. I only caught a glimpse of him, but was that you?”

Sakal came to a stop in front of Tecryd’s door before turning his cold gaze on the hobgoblin.. “… You’re right, you’re _way_ out of fucking line,” He growled, opening the door and walking through. He swore he saw Salgrok flinch a little before he hurried off.

The room was just as lavish as Sakal expected. And there was the drow himself laying in bed, enjoying wine, looking smug as shit. “What was Salgrok out of line about?” Tecryd asked so innocently, tracing the tip of his finger over the rim of the glass.

Sakal straightened his shoulders, gods why was he so _short_ compared to an elf? “Oh, you know, he asked if he could eat the cum out of my ass when you were done with it. Apparently he’s really into that, think it’s comes from some sort of repressed crush on you,” He said with a shrug.

“You’re hilarious.” Tecryd gestured him forward and Sakal hated how he walked forward like he was pulled on a string. “Come on, Sakal, how much do I have to pay you for the truth?”

Sakal huffed and crossed his arms. “… He recognized me. From the time you used me as your rebound,” He grumbled.

“That’s not exactly how he worded it, I imagine,” Tecryd muttered as he took another sip.

“Maybe. Maybe not. It’s what I was. When are you going to tell them?”

Tecryd shrugged. “Oh, it’ll probably slip out sometime that I hired your services. Granted, it was before you joined them, cleaned yourself up. You look better than you did back then, I’ll give you that much.”

Sakal swallowed the lump in his throat. “… You’re not wrong,” He mumbled.

Tecryd patted the spot on the bed next to him and Sakal crawled on, instinctively draping himself over Tecryd’s shoulder. Once a professional, always a professional, Sakal told himself. Tecryd’s fingers combed through white strands as he hummed softly. “Yes, much better. When we met, you were so drunk you couldn’t walk a straight line. Could still suck a cock with the best of them, but how much do you even remember of those days?”

“Not fucking enough of them.” Sakal’s eyes slid half shut as Tecryd played with his hair. His only weakness, he melted whenever someone did this.

“Least I know what I’m going to get when it comes to you,” Tecryd breathed into Sakal’s ear, “I wonder if your mouth is any better when you’re sober?”

Sakal looked up and winked, smirking oh so confidently as he leaned in close to Tecryd’s face. “Let’s find out, your highness,” He purred as he reached across and slowly unlaced Tecryd’s breeches.

It was so damn easy to put on the seductive mask. It had become a part of him over the decades he prostituted himself. But then that idiot boy who cared too much crashed into his life, with that stupid blond elf with eyes so caring and sincere when he said that Sakal could be more.

Yeah, look where that got him. Back to whoring himself out, except this time he wasn’t even getting _paid_ for it. Gods that sucked.

Sakal brushed his lips over the revealed patch of skin above Tecryd’s beltline, planting several soft kisses there before sucking a bruise over his right hipbone. Tecryd took in a shallow breath as Sakal finished tugging his pants down. “Hello, hello, ready to come and play?” Sakal teased as he brushed his hand over Tecryd’s slowly rising cock.

“You never take anything seriously, do you?” Tecryd sighed before gripping Sakal’s hair and pushing his face down towards his groin. “Now stop delaying and suck.”

“I wasn’t delaying, I usually got paid more for foreplay,” Sakal snapped before sliding that mask back on. Almost let it fall off. Not the time for such mistakes. Sakal gripped onto Tecryd’s member and gave it a few gentle rubs before sticking his tongue out and lapping at the slit. Sakal slid his eyes closed before he wrapped his lips around the tip and continued to lavish the soft head with attention.

It was familiar at least, the taste, the feel of Tecryd getting harder in his mouth, this was easy for him. Sex was easy. Sakal softly keened as he dipped his head lower, swallowing more of Tecryd’s length before popping back up. After shooting another wink at Tecryd, he wrapped his lips around his cock again and then swallowed down to the root, not stopping until his nose bumped up against Tecryd’s groin.

Tecryd sharply gasped, the grip on Sakal’s hair tightening until it nearly tore a few strands out. Sakal backed up and chuckled. “I bet Ecra and Herra can’t do that for you,” He purred, nuzzling against the shaft before planting a kiss right at the base. “Thola probably could, but I can do it better.”

Too far, judging by how quickly the content look on Tecryd’s face melted into rage. Sakal didn’t dodge back in time to avoid Tecryd’s hand wrapping around his throat, cutting off all air and leaving Sakal squirming and clawing desperately at Tecryd’s arm.

“I’m going to ask you not to mention her again,” Tecryd snarled as he dragged Sakal up to eye level, slowly loosening his clutch. “Are we clear?”

Sakal gripped onto Tecryd’s wrist and grinned. “Choke me harder, master,” He growled before straddling Tecryd’s hips, grinding his ass against the drow’s erection.

Sakal was thrown down into the mattress, air cut off again as Tecryd ripped down Sakal’s leggings with his free hand. Sakal saw the spots swarm in front of his eyes and all he could do was smile. He hadn’t had anyone to choke him in so damn long, the not knowing that you’ll ever draw in another breath was its own kind of orgasm. Maybe it was the wind elemental thing that made it so hot, fuck if he knew, he just loved it.

Tecryd only released the chokehold to oil his length and press it against Sakal’s ass. “I didn’t pay you near enough last time for this, but you still jumped on my cock like you’d die without it. Didn’t know all I had to do to get you horny when you were sober was to throttle you,” He mocked before he slammed his length in with a single thrust.

The burn was intense, but Sakal only dragged Tecryd’s hand back to his throat. “Either choke me or I’m walking out of here and asking Thola to do it,” He said with a wicked grin.

Oh, that looked of rage was worth it as Sakal’s air flow was cut off again as Tecryd fucked him into the mattress. He’d be screaming if he had the oxygen. Every time Tecryd slammed their bodies together the sensation was magnified tenfold without the ability to breathe. It felt so damn good. And it seemed Tecryd had his rage checked enough to let Sakal have a breath every now and then so the sylph didn’t pass the fuck out, but it was only just enough to keep him awake.

He came without his cock being touched, spurts of white coating their chests as Tecryd continued to fuck him through it. He fucked him until tears leaked out of Sakal’s eyes, he was just far too sensitive for it to be really good anymore but he didn’t care to ask Tecryd to stop, and he doubted the drow would’ve anyway.

Sakal was half erect again when Tecryd slammed in one last time, growling as he squeezed Sakal’s neck one last time and let go.

Oh boy, Sakal was going to feel that in the morning. His neck was already turning shades of purple, but that wasn’t too shocking- he bruised easily. He took several deep uninhibited breaths as he came down from one of the most intense fucks of his life.

“Please tell me I didn’t damage your brain by choking you too much. You cannot afford to become any more stupid.”

Sakal lifted up a shaky middle finger before getting up, pulling his leggings back up and stumbling out of bed. “I’m… I’m good. You?” He asked, wincing at how raspy his voice was.

“Good god, you sound like hell,” Tecryd turned over in bed, but he looked content. The demon look in his eyes was gone.

“Well, I’m sorry, but I just got choked near to death and it felt great, but my voice is absolutely shot,” Sakal fired back, flushing red as his voice squeaked.

“I’ll send you something for it in the morning. You want to spend the night?” Tecryd asked.

Sakal laughed quietly as he limped to the door. “Baby, you know the reason you pay me is so I go away,” He said, giving a small wave before he slipped out.

Once Sakal had limped far enough down the halls he allowed himself to collapse. Fuck, that was way, way too far. His vision was starting to swim, each breath started to hurt if he took it in too deep, he felt too weak to stand.

Fuck, he was getting sick _again_.

Sakal’s eyes rolled back as he went limp on the floor. He wasn’t sure how long he laid there until he heard a pair of footsteps.

“Oh, what the _fuck_!?”

Sakal cracked open an eye and saw Salgrok. “Hello to you too. Can you,” His sentence was interrupted by a fit of coughing, “Can you just… help me back to my room? Before some of your friends decide to have a gangbang with the unconscious sylph.”

“I wouldn’t be friends with fucks like that,” All the same, Salgrok helped Sakal to his feet and slowly down the hell. “What happened?”

Sakal coughed again, bloody spittle landing on the floor. Ugh, so gross. “Tecryd didn’t do this. I’m just fuckin’ cursed,” he giggled, “Been since I was a kid. I catch every cold, every f-fever… all cuz I’m an oracle. My parents… or at least the people that adopted me… they only picked me up because they knew I was gonna be a powerhouse. They didn’t care how my entire life would be s…so fucking shit because of it. Having an oracle for a son, that’d… that’d make up for him being a freak,” He babbled. Oh boy, he was totally getting a fever. Stress wore him down to this point, the way over the line sex being the straw that broke the sylph’s back.

“Hey, shhh, you’re fine man. Come on, let’s get you back into bed,” Salgrok’s voice sounded shockingly gentle for how cranky he tended to be. He pushed open the door and helped Sakal to a couch. “Uhhhh, Herra? Anyone awake in here?”

Sakal heard a door open as his eyes fluttered shut. This was hitting him way faster than normal, maybe it was because he was cut off from his magic?

“Salgrok, what are you- SAKAL!”

Sakal drifted off to a comfortable unconsciousness after hearing Herra’s horrified shriek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a year! But I hope you like this new update!


	8. Barbarian Stealth Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Braizra sneaks around the palace and is discovered by a sleep deprived Tecryd.

“Those look like they hurt.”

Sakal glared at Ecra as he sipped a health potion, delivered right at the crack of dawn by their little kobold friend. “No shit,” He hissed as he attempted to sit up. All his friends had gathered in his room, minus Alur.

Herra pushed him back into the bed. “Stay lying down, you look terrible. Why didn’t you tell us you were getting sick again?” She asked.

“This one snuck up on me, I swear,” Sakal murmured with the bottle up to his lips. The bruises were already fading, but these potions did shit about his stupid curse. “I only realized something was wrong on the way back from Tecryd’s room.”

Braizra shook his head. “What did he even do to you? It looks like he tried choking you to death, what did you do, annoy him too?” He said.

“I mean, he did choke me, only _nearly_ to death and only because I bugged him into it.” Sakal grinned wickedly at Thola. “Totally told him I’d just shove him off and sleep with you if he didn’t give me what I want.”

Thola snickered. “Oh my gods, you want to die,” She said.

Braizra’s fingers brushed his neck neck. “Why do you _want_ to be choked?” He asked.

“When I feel better, I’ll show you,” Sakal said with an eyebrow wiggle before he exploded in another fit of coughs. Herra rubbed his shoulder gently and they slowly eased up. Clearing his throat and setting aside the potion bottle, Sakal managed to sit up. “There’s something I need to tell you. Only because no doubt Tecryd’s going to hold it against me if I don’t.”

Having all their eyes on him made this so much harder for Sakal, but he held his head high. “You all know I was a prostitute, I never hid that. But I hid how bad I let it get. I mean, I drink a bit now, but I was never sober back then. I was pissed about being sick all the time, pissed about my fate as an oracle… If I wasn’t getting fucked I was drinking away the money I made. This caused me to pick up a lot of clients I… I definitely shouldn’t have.” He swallowed, his throat maybe didn’t hurt from being choked anymore but this was still rough to get out. “I managed to do the math. Shortly after Thola dumped him, uh, Tecryd hired me.”

Ecra’s eyes bugged out of his skull. Thola began sputtering as she searched for an appropriate response. Herra’s jaw dropped to the floor. And Braizra just summed up the immediate thought everyone had.

“What the _fuck_, Sakal?”

“I didn’t even know he was the guy you were after until we ran into him again! And I did remember him as a client, since you know, _royalty_.” Sakal groaned and dragged a hand down his face. “I just wanted to clear the air there. I never thought it’d be a problem, I thought Tecryd’s head would be rotting off of Braizra’s spear by now and it just would stay a mistake in my past. I’ve made a lot of those, but I don’t want to hide them from you guys, okay?”

Ecra reached forward and ruffled Sakal’s hair. “I know, and it’s all okay. Thola used to be his _girlfriend_, and we’re all fine with that.”

“Speak for yourself,” Braizra mumbled before Thola elbowed him. Ecra continued on without giving them a glance.

“What you did back then, that was the Sakal from forever ago, not the Sakal now.” Ecra flicked Sakal’s nose and smiled. “This Sakal I trust with my life.”

Sakal grinned from ear to ear. “Thank you, Ecra. You guys?”

Herra shrugged. “I mean, four out of the six of us are now currently sleeping with him. We don’t have any room to judge.”

Thola nodded. “We don’t. Besides. Your history with him will be another great distraction while we work on getting the hell out of here… and from keeping his eyes off of Alur.”

“And what about me?” Braizra pointed to himself. “I’d rather chew my dick off than put it anywhere _near_ that creep.”

Thola cocked an eyebrow. “I mean you too, but if I can only protect one of you, I’m picking Alur. He’s been rocking a chastity vow for however the fuck long he’s been alive, and I know you’re not a virgin,” She said.

Braizra bared his teeth in anger before he relented. “… That’s fair. But it won’t stop me from beating the shit out of him the moment he tries coming for me.”

“Heh. Coming,” Sakal giggled before Herra picked up his own pillow and started smacking him with it. “Ow! I’m sick, leave me alone! Ow! Help, Ecra, Herra’s being abusive!”

~*~

Braizra handed Vrag another bread roll. “Just remember to leave the door unlocked,” He said.

Vrag licked the crust and squished it against his chest. “I’ve neverever eaten nearly as good before you guys came. You’ll give me more tomorrow?” He said.

“I will. As long as I’m not caught out.” Braizra poked Vrag’s forehead and found himself smiling. As greedy as the little kobold was, he was oddly adorable. Like those mangy dogs with the big brown eyes that you just can’t help but feed your scraps. “And as long as you don’t tell anyone, I won’t get caught out. Remember, I bribed _you_, don’t let anyone bribe your betrayal. Otherwise no food-”

“And you’ll take my taailll,” Vrag sighed and bobbed his head up and down, “I got it, I got it! So bossy for a Kept!”

Vrag scuttled out of Braizra’s room and the half orc started to prepare for his midnight wanderings. He didn’t really have any weapons and that collar did a damn good job at suppressing his rage powers, but he did manage to break the post off his bed. It wasn’t much at first, but some sharpening and it became one nice stake. It would do in a pinch.

Maybe his friends were willing to play along with this fucked charade, but that wasn’t going to be Braizra. No, he was going to find his own damn way out. First step was to map things out, he’d like to bring along Thola but she probably call his plan useless. That there wasn’t a way out.

Bull. There was always a way out.

Braizra was not the most patient of fellows, but he waited until the palace was quiet. He managed to rip up his blankets and make for himself quite the nice scarf to hide his collar as he waited. There were enough orcs in service to the Savani family he’d be likely overlooked.

As the palace grew quiet and the fiery lamps dimmed, Braizra slipped out of the Kept quarters and began making his way through the winding halls. It was quite peaceful when there wasn’t servants bustling around or guards marching through. There was a few guards, but being on the night shift, they barely did anything other than a quick glance Braizra’s way before returning to their own conversations.

Braizra headed through an archway and for the first time in days was outside of this fucking palace, on one of its balconies. But there was no wind on his face, no sign of the sun or moon. He walked to the edge and peered over the edge, his stomach turning as he realized how steep the drop off was. Palace was built at the edge of a ravine that went down so far Braizra couldn’t even begin to figure how deep it was. Right. This definitely wasn’t a way out.

But at least it was somewhere other than _inside_.

“You know, when my sister was younger she nearly tipped over the edge.”

Shit. Braizra’s skin crawled before he slowly turned to see Tecryd. The drow was clearly ready for bed, judging by his robe and how his hair hung loose instead of tied up. Tecryd managed a tired smile before striding up to the balcony and leaning against the railing. “Juni was maybe… six? The nanny in charge of her wasn’t watching. Mother was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time or I’d be down a sister before I was even born,” He chuckled at that.

“Why are you awake?” Braizra was going to pound Vrag’s face in if he squealed.

“Apparently it’s called insomnia. I’ve had it since I was a teenager. It’s not so bad when I’m on the move, traveling all over the over world, but when I’m at the palace and all I can do is relax or fuck, it’s more of a struggle.” Tecryd huffed, blowing a lock of hair out of his eyes. “That, and when I realized you were out of your room, I decided to make sure you weren’t getting yourself into any trouble. Just stretching your legs then?”

“Sure. Let’s go with that.” Damn these collars and their tracking ability. Braizra scooted out of arm’s length, something Tecryd did not miss judging by his smirk. “What, you’re in the mood for half orc now? Cuz I’m not in the mood for drow.”

Tecryd seemed pensive for several long seconds before he shrugged. “If it gets me to sleep, whatever. But I have a feeling if I’m not careful, you’ll break my spine again if I put a finger near you,” He winced at the memory, “I couldn’t sleep for the month I recovered. So all I had to do was stare, and stare some more at the roof of my tent.”

“Oh no, I feel so guilty now, I’ll definitely sleep with you to make it even,” Braizra deadpanned. It was sheer luck he’d gotten that close to Tecryd that day, and god he’d gotten so damn close to finishing him off.

Tecryd surprised him by chuckling. “As much as your childishness irritates me, at least you always say what’s on your mind,” He said.

Damn, he really was tired, wasn’t he? He hadn’t been summoning any of the group to his room lately, so he wasn’t burning off all his pent up energy by fucking- oh gods, why did Braizra even care? Stay awake too long and you died, right? “It’s not like I’m the youngest of my friends or anything,” Braizra replied, his words laced with heavy sarcasm.

“Wait, you are?” Tecryd blinked owlishly.

Braizra nodded. “Ecra’s closest in age to me and he’s twenty-two. I’m only eighteen,” He said. “You didn’t know?”

“Didn’t have a clue. So you would’ve been sixteen when you broke my back?” Tecryd shook his head. “I’m simultaneously impressed with your skill and disgusted with letting a _child_ nearly kill me.”

Braizra grinned. “Guess you’re not as bad ass as you thought, ya bastard,” He said, beaming with pride.

Tecryd briefly pouted. “Brat,” He grumbled.

“You want to fuck me.”

“Maybe. I haven’t decided.”

Hmm? “Isn’t that the point? You get to fuck us, whether we say yes or no, ya freak?” Braizra said.

Dead silence. Tecryd was now focusing on the cavern below, as if he stared long enough he’d be able to see the bottom. It took just a few seconds for it to click for Braizra. “You are _not_ okay with fucking us if we say no!” He said.

“Keep it down!” Tecryd clapped his hand over Braizra’s mouth. “It’s true, I can’t stand you all and would love to see you suffer, but this is simply not my style. But my mother will be _furious_ if she has the idea I don’t have the stomach for true Keeping. I knew Thola and Sakal would be all right in the end, I didn’t really expect Ecra and Herra for cooperating but I certainly wasn’t going to say no.”

Braizra licked Tecryd’s palm and Tecryd jerked his hand back, rubbing the saliva off on his pants. “Son of a bitch, least Alur has nothing to worry about, he can keep his vow,” Braizra sighed with relief. That was going to be a weight off of all their minds.

Tecryd’s lips twitched into a snarl at the mention of the Paladin. “Might not want to Keep him, but I do want him to _suffer_,” He growled.

“Yeah, you have a secret past, we get it,” Braizra rolled his eyes, “Don’t we all?”

“What’s yours then?” Tecryd looked desperate for a subject change.

“Twin brother I’ve never met, who probably doesn’t know I exist.” What? It wasn’t like Braizra really hid it from anyone, it wasn’t information hard to find.

Tecryd cocked his head to the side. “Huh. You have a lot of surprises hidden in that green dome of yours, huh?” He said, reaching over and tapping Braizra’s skull.

Braizra growled and swatted Tecryd’s hand away, smirking as Tecryd flinched back. “Heh, one way to put it. Not like you ever asked,” He said.

“True. Never had the time nor the inclination, until now… what’s his name?”

Braizra sighed as he found a similar interest in the bottom of the ravine that Tecryd did previously. “Codra. He lives with the human side of the family. Probably a spoiled brat who doesn’t have to do anything for himself. Definitely fat.”

“You sound jealous.”

“What, that he’s fat?”

“That he gets to enjoy a peace you never did.” Tecryd once again put himself in a dangerous position by poking the center of Braizra’s chest, but this time Braizra didn’t swat him back. “I imagine you were fighting the moment you could swing your fists. Always putting all you could into your fighting so you could keep up with your full blooded orc family. Makes sense, how you’ve been able to come so far as a warrior at such a young age.”

Braizra almost thanked him before he remembered exactly who he was talking to. “Yeah, whatever, the second I get out of this collar I’m getting the fuck out of here. If you’re in the way, I won’t be leaving you with just a broken back.”

Tecryd nodded. “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” He said.

“Are you going to go now or…”

“Actually, you might be able to help me.”

Braizra turned to see Tecryd shedding his robe. Braizra cocked an eyebrow as Tecryd rolled his shoulders.

“Help me burn off some pent off energy, that is.”

~*~

“You cheated.”

“I didn’t cheat.”

“You used magic!”

“I never said I wouldn’t use magic at all, I said I wouldn’t use it to _kill_ you.”

Braizra cracked his jaw and examined his bloody fists. He hadn’t expected Tecryd to challenge him to a fight like that, fist to fist. Of course when Braizra had the bastard cornered Tecryd used his lightning magic and shocked Braizra so hard he laid stunned on the ground for nearly ten minutes.

Tecryd hadn’t come out completely unharmed though, he was limping as they walked through the palace and his right eye was swelling shut. Not to mention the multitude of bruises that couldn’t be seen under his clothes.

Braizra almost stopped at the Kept quarters when Tecryd grabbed him by the sleeve and continued pulling him along. “No, we’re bathing first. There’s hot springs under the palace that are known for their healing properties. I’m not going to have you running back to your friends and saying I beat the shit out of you because I caught you trying to make a run for it,” He said.

“I wasn’t going to make a run for it!” Braizra complained. All the same he let Tecryd pull him along, some hot water did sound heavenly, his muscles were still all tensed up to hell.

They did pass two guards, who blatantly stared at the bruised up duo, but thankfully didn’t assume Braizra had their prince hostage or some shit. Tecryd led him through the archway that opened up to a cave.

“These cave systems stretch for miles under the surface. They were mined out centuries ago, but the hot springs are still quite the luxury for the house of Savani.” Tecryd shed his robe again but this time continued undressing, unlacing his pants and letting those drop to the ground with his underclothes before walking into the water. He turned back to see a frozen Braizra. “What, it’s just a _bath_. Do orcs wear clothes when they bathe or is it just you?”

Braizra snapped out of it before wiggling out of his shirt. “Sorry, wasn’t expecting you to just take off your clothes like that,” He mumbled, ignoring how warm his cheeks felt. He wasn’t checking out Tecryd’s bare ass, nope! Even if you could bounce a silver off of it- stoooppp. Not even going to continue that line of thought.

Braizra folded his clothes and laid them in a pile next to Tecryd’s rumpled ones, amused that such a refined bastard was such a slob. But eh, if he had servants, he was probably used to someone else always picking up after him.

“Oh my gods, are you that nervous about what you have to show… off…” Braizra glanced up to see Tecryd looking at him, and for the first time, he looked truly thrown off balance. “… My gods, you’d make a _centaur_ envious. Seriously though, what the hell?”

“Huh?” Oh, right, naked. Tecryd could see his dick. Braizra smirked as he walked into the water, now feeling a bit cocky. “What, you like what you see?”

Tecryd cleared his throat. “I’m just- how did you keep that _hidden_?” He said.

“I don’t whip it out for just anyone who wants to see it,” Braizra never felt so damn smug in his life. “And most places I’ve been don’t have public baths. Sakal caught me changing once and he didn’t leave me alone for like a week.”

“I can imagine,” Tecryd murmured before shaking his head as if to clear any unclean thoughts from his head.

Braizra took a seat in the water, sighing pleasantly as the warm water rose against his chest and letting his eyes flutter shut. Tecryd wasn’t lying when he talked about the hot spring’s healing properties, he was feeling so much better already. A few minutes of relaxing in silence and Braizra reopened his eyes to look over at Tecryd.

Tecryd seemed to be busying himself with anything _but_ looking at Braizra. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why, although it was still a shocking turn of events. “I thought you were a top,” Braizra said as he splashed some water onto his face.

“I prefer a dominant role, yes, and I do typically top but not every time. I doubt you’ve ever bottomed in your life,” Tecryd said, finally looking over at Braizra.

“I mean,” Braizra chuckled, “There were these orc chicks back home that had these dicks made out of glass. Thick glass, so they didn’t break in you or anything.”

Tecryd sputtered while Braizra continued to laugh. “Gods, I’m telling the whole party that I finally made the great Tecryd Savani lost for words just because he saw my-”

In a blink of motion Tecryd was now straddling Braizra’s lap, once again covering his mouth with a hand. “You bring this up to _anyone_ and I’m going to show you what a broken back feels like,” He snarled.

There was a beat before Braizra felt a spark of panic, his chest tightening up and making it damn near impossible to breathe. Tecryd had Braizra pretty much cornered and pinned in the bath, no one was here. Braizra couldn’t tap into his rage, he was _naked_ and that sure as hell wasn’t a staff poking him in the thigh right now.

Stupid to think that it was just a bath. That this wasn’t just some sort of set up to get his guard down.

He was defenseless. And the thought petrified him.

Tecryd’s rage filled expression suddenly melted away and he climbed off of Braizra, heading back to his side of the bath. “… I’ve never seen you afraid before,” He murmured.

“What do you mean?” Braizra swallowed that lump in his throat, forcing his heart rate to slow down. Holy shit, that was too real for a moment.

“Right then.” Tecryd gestured to Braizra’s face. “I’ve literally had you beaten to the ground, ready to finish you off. But you weren’t afraid, your eyes were full of blood lust and even half dead you lunged for my throat. Just now though-”

“I thought you fucking _played_ me,” the words tumbled out before Braizra could stop them, “Spent the last hours just waiting for a chance to- to take away any control I had left.” It was all about control, and fuck if Braizra didn’t grip to what control he’d always had.

Tecryd looked… sorry. Genuinely sorry. “Well, I haven’t been. Yes, I am clearly attracted to what you have to offer, which surprises even me. But even if it’s supposedly my right, I… I don’t want to. Not unless you wanted to.” He stood, water dripping off his body as he walked to the edge. “Get back to the Kept Quarters, go to sleep.”

The drow nearly reached the archway when Braizra spoke up.

“Wait. If you don’t stick it in me, we can still do it.”

Tecryd paused and turned. “I beg your pardon?” He asked.

Braizra rolled his eyes. “Oh my gods, get over here, idiot. You’ve made pretty damn clear you don’t want to rape me, and fuck it, we’re probably going to do it sooner or later otherwise so might as well get it over with.”

Tecryd stood there stunned for another second before practically bolting back into the bath. Once again he straddled Braizra’s lap, back to being the smug bastard he always was. “Maybe not this time I’ll stick it in you, but your ass is too tempting for me not to say I don’t want to next time,” He growled into Braizra’s ear, nipping the slightly pointed tip.

“You’d be lucky to get a next time,” Braizra snapped back before Tecryd silenced him with a kiss. Braizra tangled his fingers through the drow’s soft hair and let his eyes slide shut.

“Mmm, I’ll just enjoy riding you this time then.”

Greedy hands explored each other’s bodies as Tecryd’s tongue slid into Braizra’s mouth, pleasantly sighing and tangling with Braizra’s just as eager tongue. Braizra squeezed Tecryd’s ass tight enough to draw a rather high pitched sound from him, and how Tecryd’s body quivered as Braizra’s fingers massaged his hole.

They broke apart from the kiss, both gasping for breath before Tecryd regained his composure first. “Sit at the edge of the bath. If I remember correctly, someone store some oil for this purpose somewhere in here.”

“How many people have you _fucked_ in here?” Braizra said as he managed to sit up at the edge of the pool. He was turned on as hell now, his cock rigid and heavy between his legs.

“Not as many as you’d think.”

Tecryd hurried back with the bottle, sighing with relief as he poured a generous amount of clear lubrication into his palm. “There’s plenty left. Lucky for us, I do not want to walk or teleport back to my room right now,” He said before slipping his hand in between his legs.

“Wait. I want to do it.”

Braizra took the bottle from Tecryd and coated his fingers with the oil. Tecryd seemed conflicted at first but finally relented as Braizra pressed his middle finger against his entrance. “Fine, just don’t try to break me, I haven’t bottomed in close to ten years- nngh!”

Watching the shocked expression on Tecryd’s face as Braizra pushed his finger in was so damn good. “Finally, a good way to shut you up,” Braizra teased as he pushed his finger in and out of Tecryd’s hole.

“You keep mocking me and I’m _leaving_,” Tecryd threatened, drawing in a quick breath as Braizra's finger curled in and rubbed his prostate. “I thought… I thought you didn’t sleep with m-men…”

His whole body was shaking as Braizra continued to fuck him with his fingers. “I know myself, idiot. I’m a teenager, do you know how often I can go without masturbating? Not fuckin’ long, and sometimes touching my dick isn’t enough,” He said as he managed to work the second finger in.

“I really need to watch you do that sometime then, hah…” Tecryd leaned against Braizra’s shoulder, taking a deep shuddering breath before he took his oiled hands and began rubbing Braizra’s cock.

“Trying to distract me, are you getting cold feet?” Braizra’s breath was now becoming a bit sharper as Tecryd jerked him off.

“As if,” Tecryd groaned and practically melted as Braizra pushed in that third finger, “I am not missing out on possibly the only chance I have to ride you.”

Braizra laughed before pulling his fingers free, dipping them into the water to rinse them clean. “Then hurry up and do it, I’m getting bored,” He said.

Tecryd nodded before lining Braizra’s cock up with his slack hole. With a slow breath out he lowered himself onto it, a sound not unlike a squeak slipping free from his lips. “Oh _fuck_,” he said, pausing about half way before forcing himself the rest of the way down.

Braizra dug his fingers deeply into Tecryd’s thighs as he bottomed out, the two fully connected and this night was _so_ going a different way than he expected. “You just going to sit on me? I’m not your throne,” Braizra growled.

Tecryd glared and Braizra hissed as the drow’s fingernails broke skin on his shoulders. “Just because… I’m not topping… doesn’t mean you should forget that I’m in charge,” He said as he rolled his hips up and down slowly. “I’ll move when I damn _please_.”

Braizra chose not to push the matter too much further and just settled for gripping onto Tecryd’s middle. “Well, what are you waiting for?” He asked with a grin.

Tecryd responded by repeating the movement from before once again. “Nothing, I’m waiting for nothing,” Tecryd groaned before pulling Braizra’s lips back against his and picking up the pace.

Braizra was in bliss, his legs still dangling in the water as Tecryd rose and fell, picking up the speed and his ass slamming down to the base each time. Tecryd’s body squeezed his cock so tight, and Braizra couldn’t stop himself from meeting him with a thrust.

“Oh fuck me, fuck me, fuck me,” Tecryd wasn’t in this to last forever, thankfully neither was Braizra as they rocked against each other, wet flesh slapping against wet flesh as they chased their own pleasure. Tecryd reached down to give his cock a few more jerks before he let out a choked gasp, white splashing up between their chests as he went so tight Braizra could barely move and-

“Fuck!” Braizra bit harshly into Tecryd’s shoulder as he climaxed, swearing he could almost see stars as he pumped his seed deep into the drow’s body, filling him up until both men nearly went limp.

Tecryd moved first, groaning as he peeled himself off of Braizra. “Fuck… you’re not so bad at that,” He said as he stood.

Braizra slipped back into the bath, feeling just the right amount of content. “Not so bad yourself. I might allow it again,” He said.

“Next time, I top. Otherwise I’ll never get out of bed again.”

“Sure, that’s what we’ll say.”

“Fuck you.”

~*~

“Well, this wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Noooo, really?”

“Kazuko, sarcasm isn’t helpful. Are you sure you don’t have anything in your pack to lure away hungry wolves?”

“Nah. Only some bread, and it’s not enough to distract them. If I had a steak then maybe… mmm, steak.”

Linette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Well, they won’t waste energy keeping us up this tree for long, we’ll just have to wait them out,” She said, leaning against the trunk. So far, attempting to locate an entrance to the Underdark was not going well. Didn’t help she was now stuck with this feisty bard, granted, feisty bard was exceedingly helpful with getting them places to rest up for the night but she was not exactly helpful when it came to battle.

Another delay in the search for her friend.

Linette’s brooding was interrupted by a wolf’s squeal. She looked down to see one wolf flying off, the rest of the starved pack growling and raising their hackles. A figure in the dark spun around their quarterstaff before bringing it down on the next wolf, sending it flying into another tree.

Another wolf growled and leaped for the stranger’s throat, only to be sent flying when the stranger pitched his staff and hit it square in the throat. Another got ready to pounce at him from behind but Linette prepped an arrow and let it fly.

Best shot she’d had all night, she managed to hit it square in the neck. Blood spattered on the ground as the wolf wobbled on its paws before it collapsed, dead where it laid. The remaining two wolves cut and run, leaving the two women up in the tree alone with the stranger.

The stranger lit up his lantern, revealing pale green skin and undersized tusks coming from his mouth. “Are you two all right up there? Do you need any help?” He called up.

Kazuko jumped down, grinning from ear to ear. “Well, hello, pretty boy,” She said with a wink.

The stranger cleared his throat and looked back up the tree. “Is that a yes?” He asked.

Linette nodded before she climbed on down. “We are fine. I’m Linette, my companion is Kazuko.” She picked the staff off the ground, not missing the holy symbol of the goddess Tyri hanging off the tip. “I’m to assume you’re some sort of monk?”

The stranger nodded. “I am. My name is Codra. I’m searching for someone.”

“What a coincidence, so is she!” Kazuko said with a laugh, gently shoving Linette forward. “Ex boyfriend, he apparently ditched the army a few years back and she wants to catch up for old time’s sake. You?”

Codra smiled. “I’m actually looking for my brother. I’d finally decided to make the journey to our father’s home to find he’s been on some sort of quest.”

Huh. Would they be so lucky? “A quest led by a paladin in golden armor?” Linette asked.

“How did you know?” Codra said, eyes going wide.

Well then, they were that lucky. “Then our goals are the same. Help us set up camp, and I’ll tell you all about it,” Linette said, gesturing the half orc forward.

Finally, someone else to have her back while they traveled to the Underdark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to get better at updating -.- But hey, I like how this chapter turned out! Hope you enjoyed, leave a kudos and a comment if you did!


	9. Alur's Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tecryd tells Herra the truth of his feud with Alur.

“You were back late.”

Braizra groaned as Sakal strode into his bedroom, pulling the sheets over his head. “Fuck off, sylph,” He grumbled.

Sakal just yanked the blanket off, setting his hands on his hips. “Not today, sweet cheeks. I heard you leave late and then come back a few hours later. What the hell were you doing?”

Blinking the sleep dust from his eyes, Braizra sat up and glowered at Sakal. Sakal didn’t so much as bat an eye at the half orc’s expression. “Tried to find a way out. Didn’t get far. Had to hide out in the hot springs down below the palace for a couple hours to avoid getting my ass whipped,” He said quickly, hoping that the damn sylph would just drop it.

“Oh wow. You’re acting awfully confident for a bad liar.”

Climbing onto the bed, Sakal looked Braizra up and down. “… You did it with Tecryd, didn’t you?”

“Wha- no!” Braizra’s cheeks burned at the accusation, giving away that he was lying.

“That son of a_ whore_!”

Sakal immediately began examining Braizra up and down, lifting his arm into the air, pushing the collar around and examining his neck for any marks, even pushing aside his sleeves to examine the scratch marks his nails left, all the while babbling on so fast Braizra could barely understand him.

“Are you all right? What did he do, just jump you outside of the room? Oh god, those look like they hurt, do you need me to get you something for that? Did he go easy on you? If he didn’t use enough oil I’ll wring his neck powers or not. Ohgodsohgods why didn’t you take me _with _you, I could’ve stopped this-”

“Sakal, shut the fuck up!”

Sakal’s jaw clicked shut and Braizra took a deep breath. “I’m fine, okay? I’m fine. I agreed to it.”

“What.”

“After he made clear that he wasn’t going to top, I decided to go with it!” Braizra threw his hands into the air. “He can be okay for a bastard, and I dunno, I kinda bonded with the guy after we threw hands. It just happened.”

“Sex doesn’t just- _you topped him_?!”

Sakal’s hands flew up to cover his mouth, his pale cheeks going a bright shade of pink. “Oh. Oh now I’m just mad I missed _that_. I’ve wanted to try out that giant dick of yours for _months_, and all it takes for you to give it to someone… is to _fight_ you.”

Rolling his eyes, Braizra gave Sakal’s fluffy hair a tousle. “I don’t want you on my dick because you’re my friend, you horny idiot. I don’t really give two shits about Tecryd, so I don’t mind that he wanted a ride.”

“Right, you don’t sleep with friends. God, you’re so lame,” Sakal batted away Braizra’s hand, “But seriously though, you’re okay? You’re not traumatized?”

Braizra shook his head. “Thanks for the concern, but I’m not messed up. In fact, think I’m better off for it- apparently Tecryd’s not down for fucking someone unless they say yes.”

Sakal blinked owlishly. “Wait, but we’re his Kept, we don’t really have a choice… buuuuttt just because someone’s a dick, doesn’t make them complete garbage,” A grin spread across Sakal’s lips, “Good news for Alur then!”

“Yeah, I mean, Tecryd hates his guts, but Alur can just focus on finding a fucking way out of here.” Braizra stroked his chin. “Speaking of which, I think I do have an idea. Apparently the hot springs are in natural caves. I imagine all the exits have been blocked off, but it could be worth checking into.”

Sakal cackled and clapped his hands. “Nice! We should send Herra or Ecra down there then. She’s small, he’s pretty quick, either would work. Just do it on a night when someone’s keeping Tecryd’s attention so he doesn’t realize someone wearing a collar is out of the Kept rooms,” He said.

“The only reason I got as far as I did was because I hid my collar, I blended in with the rest of the night guard.” Braizra grinned. “But I’m pretty sure if I can get a cloak or something I could hide Herra under it. Just have her cling to my back as I head on down.”

The two shared a smile. A glimmer of hope in this captivity. Sakal jumped off the bed and practically pranced to the door. “Let’s tell the others that we’re working on a plan. But first…” He pulled open the door and poked his head out, where it looked the others were enjoying some breakfast. “Hey guys, Braizra put his dick in Tecryd’s ass!”

“WHAT?!”

Braizra ground his teeth as he got up out of bed. For a second he almost believed that Sakal wasn’t a complete and total moron.

~*~

“Good morning, my son. How is training your Kept going?”

Tecryd ignored that slight sting of pain that came with sitting and managed to keep his expression blank as his mother entered his room. “Well enough. Herra is the easiest to get the cooperation of, but I only just got around to Braizra. He’s not really my type,” He said with a yawn.

The Queen nodded. “I did hear something about you taking him down to the hot springs. Was that a treat for when he obeyed?” She asked.

“I took him down there because he smelled awful,” Tecryd sighed as he got out of bed, grabbing his robe and slipping it on. “What are you doing in here, Mother?”

“I also heard you only called Thola to you once. And that you haven’t even begun disciplining the paladin.” She crossed her arms and waited expectantly for her answer.

Tecryd pretended to be focused on tying his hair back to avoid looking his mother in the eye. “And? My plans were always to save him last. And Thola-” He nearly choked on the lump in his throat. “Mother, it’d be like asking you to Keep my father.”

Alyril breathed in sharply and Tecryd realized he may have crossed the line. “I’m sorry. That was too far,” He said, his ears slowly tipping down.

“It was.” Alyril nodded curtly before the crimson eyes he got from her softened. “And it was also fair. I’m sorry, my son. I didn’t realize you were still in love with her.”

“I didn’t until she- she was in my bedroom.” He was not going to tell Mother that he hadn’t even summoned Thola. “It hit me then that the feelings I had for her were not completely dead.”

Alyril set her hand on his shoulder. “I understand. But that doesn’t answer why you’re delaying on _him_. He comes from a family of cold blooded murderers, and he still has the nerve to insist that we’re the ones in the wrong. What you did was an honorable act, one to make a wrong right. What he’s planning on doing is no act for someone who claims lawfulness. You need to break Alur.” The way his name left her mouth was filled with venom. “And do it soon.”

Right. Tecryd nodded, ignoring how his right ear twitched. “When he’s disciplined, I’ll make him bleed, mother,” He said.

The queen’s smile would be enough to make any other mortal flee in terror. She leaned in and planted a maternal kiss on his cheek. “You make me proud,” She whispered before leaving his room. Tecryd waited until she was out of earshot before groaning and flopping back on the bed.

Great. He really, really should’ve come up with a different punishment for the one who basically bragged about keeping his virginity for over a century.

~*~

“Tecryd?”

Herra slipped into the drow prince’s bedroom, looking around and seeing no one. That was strange, considering he’d just summoned her here. Pursing her lips, she walked around his bedroom, craning her neck around as if she expected him to be invisible.

Maybe he was called away?

“Boo.”

Herra squeaked and backed away as someone did materialize out of thin air, but it sure as hell wasn’t Tecryd. This was a female drow, with skin the color of a violet. Herra had never seen a drow with that skintone, although she had heard drow skin tones could be any shade of black, blue or purple. This drow was also short for her kind, her hair drawn up into two mirroring buns and pinned with decorative metal cherry blossoms. She cocked her head to the side, pale pink eyes studying Herra.

“You’re the witch?”

Herra nodded. “I am. Herra Kublo, at your service,” She said, giving a quick curtsy. “You are…”

“Princess Juni of House Savani, fourth in line to the throne.” Juni knelt down to Herra’s level, seemingly in awe. “You should have died, you know. Why didn’t you? When my sweet baby brother electrocuted you?” She prodded Herra’s chest with her finger, as if to make sure she wasn’t a ghost. “You took the full force if his report is accurate. So either he’s lying or-”

“He’s not.” Herra pulled down the neckline of her dress just enough to show off a pale scar that had yet to fade, slim with many curling branches. “I’m one hardy little witch, I suppose.”

Juni poked the scar, then nodded in satisfaction and stood. “I just want to know why my brother’s being so gentle with you.”

“Because if he isn’t, he might actually murder me via sex.” Herra crossed her arms.

Juni snorted, clapping both hands over her mouth as she giggled hysterically. “You’re so funny! I like you. I hope he keeps you forever, you’d make him smile more.”

Herra cocked her head to the side. “Does he not smile enough?” She asked.

The princess shook her head no. “No. He’s… always sad. It got worse when that Thola _bitch_ broke his heart.” The previously cheerful drow’s features contorted into violent rage. “If I had it my way she would’ve been executed, shredded and remains thrown into the mud for what she did to my baby brother. But noooo, mom’s friends with the Tyths and wants to keep the peace between the houses. Like she’s worth it!” Juni seemed to realize she was ranting and cleared her throat. “My apologies. I know I should be more regal.”

Herra blinked a few times to regain her composure before smiling. “You just care a lot, I suppose. Even if that is not a nice thing to say about my friend.”

“How can you be friends with a traitor?” Juni looked at Herra with earnest, no hint of malice or mockery. “She betrayed us, her people, which was all she knew until she met you. And then suddenly we get the message that she nearly killed Tecryd and left to follow murderer’s blood? How do you know she won’t betray you?”

Herra swallowed as she considered her answer. “Well… I trust her because I know how hard it must have been, to leave everyone she knew. I understand that. I lived my whole life in Greenhill. I never left until my father died. It was hard to leave, where everyone knew my name and I knew theirs, that all I used my craft for was to bend broken bones from farming accidents or ease bad hangovers. But at least I have the comfort for when I go home, I’ll have one to return to. Thola didn’t have that. And although I know she regrets hurting all the people she cared about, she believes she still made the right call,” She nervously laughed, “Look at me, now I’m one carrying on and on.”

“No, don’t worry about it.” Juni had paid attention to every word. “You really think she missed m- us?”

Herra nodded. “And she misses you even more now.”

The drow princess slowly took all of this in before nodding. “Maybe you’re right. But I’m not sure how much you know anyway, you’re just a simple little halfling,” She said.

“Who is in there- Juni! Why are you in here!?”

Juni giggled hysterically as Tecryd walked in. “Whoops, this isn’t my room! Bye byes, Herra! Continue being cute!” She said as she skipped away, giving her brother a pat on the shoulder before vanishing out the door.

Tecryd groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just once, could my sisters… not. Just. Not,” He grumbled.

Herra laughed quietly before walking up to Tecryd and taking his hand in hers. “She’s harmless. I think. She just wanted to chat for a few minutes, and other than making some pretty violent threats about Thola, I think she’s okay.”

Tecryd shook his head before picking Herra up and carrying her over to the bed. “She likes seeming like a silly little thing, it makes people forget she’s actually one powerful wizard.” He set his halfling pet down before crawling in next to her, fingers immediately combing through her hair. “But enough about my family. Before I was called away, clearly as a distraction planned by Juni, I wanted to spend some time with my favorite little Kept,” His fingers stroked her collar as a smile teased at the corners of his lips, “So let’s spend that time together.”

Herra tried to squash down how good it felt to be called his ‘favorite’ when he leaned in to kiss her. His lips were gentle on hers as they simply enjoyed the moment of them, together.

Those lips traced up and down her body as he removed her garments, lingering on that lightning scar for a moment longer. For a second, Tecryd’s eyes showed a hint of regret, but he chased it away as he found his way to her lips again.

After they finished with this even gentler than normal sex session, Herra laid on his chest, enjoying the afterglow of hearing his heart beat as he stroked her hair.

It was a couple moments of silence before Herra chose to finally speak.

“I talked with Alur. About his earring.”

“Oh, and what did he say?” Tecryd looked down at her expectantly.

She sighed. “Exactly what you said he would. He deflected and didn’t give me a straight answer. But that doesn’t mean he’s hiding anything!”

“It means he’s hiding something very important, I’m afraid.” Tecryd sighed as he continued to comb through her curls. “Do you want me to tell you?”

Herra initially went to say no, she did not. It was none of her business after all. It was his secret and she should trust him to know when to keep it. Instead, she gave a small nod.

“Farnelis Hikelvo. His older brother who I killed.”

Herra’s jaw dropped and she shoved herself off of him. “You killed his brother!?” Alur had a brother?! He’d only mentioned his mother a couple of times, but never a brother! “How am I supposed to take your side on this?!”

Tecryd sighed, his eyes shutting for brief moment before reopening to reveal a lot of rage.

“Because Farnelis Hikelvo was a cold blooded _murderer_. You talked with Thola, about how there was a fight that got my father killed?”

Herra nodded.

“That attack was unprovoked. The two parties were going to pass on by each other. The drow would’ve left the elves alone… but…” Tecryd’s hands balled up, as if he wanted to choke the life out of his sheets. “Farnelis waited until my father was turned away. And then he stabbed him in the back. Cut him open, along the spine, from neck to hip. Didn’t even give him a chance to fight back.”

What? Herra shook her head. “That… that can’t be right. Alur wouldn’t defend a murderer like that.”

“He believes his brother is innocent, and as a result believes everything I say is a lie.” Tecryd’s hand rested under Herra’s chin, tilting it up to him. “Herra, do you think I’m a liar?”

Herra bit her lip before shaking her head. “It’s his brother, you can’t begrudge him for wanting to believe he was a good man,” She said.

“That was quite the neutral answer. Do you think I’m a liar, yes or no? And even if I am, would I lie about this specifically to you? A woman who also lost her father to violence?”

Was Tecryd a liar? Probably.

Would he lie about how his father died, knowing how painful that topic would be to her?

Suddenly Herra wasn’t so sure anymore.

But she shook her head. In her heart, she knew what was the right answer.

“No. No you wouldn’t lie about this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun DUUUUNNNN! ;D
> 
> Oh I was so excited for this chapter. Probably why I kept delaying putting it out there. I know there wasn't an intense sex scene but I promise I will make up for that next time, when Ecra distracts Tecryd so the drow doesn't realize that two of his pets are sneaking around beneath the palace... 
> 
> till next time!


	10. Silk Bondage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ecra distracts Tecryd while Herra and Braizra explore below the palace.

“Tonight, Herra and Braizra are going down to the tunnels next to the baths. Braizra will wear a cloak to let Herra hide on his back. I’ll be… keeping the prince occupied.”

“Oh, stop acting like that’s such a chore.”

Ecra gave Sakal a pained stare, Sakal just casually sipping his wine and grinning oh so mischievously. “What? Literally everyone in this room has slept with him now. We can all say Tecryd fucks like a god,” The sylph said.

Thola groaned and rubbed her temples. “Don’t tell him that. Please. He has enough of an ego,” She said.

Herra cleared her throat. “What if we can’t find any way down there tonight? Will we have another chance?” She asked.

Ecra glanced at Thola, who nodded. “I’ll switch in. If you search down there for two nights and find absolutely nothing, we’ll give it a break for a few days. We cannot, under any circumstances, let Tecryd figure out what we’re up to. And if we spend enough time down there to confirm there’s no way out, well, we’re back at square one. But I agree with these two idiots,” She proceeded to flick both Braizra’s and Sakal’s foreheads, “If there’s a way to sneak out, that’s it. We’ll need to get a good distance away from the palace before we remove these. When we do, we’re going to have to really leg it out of here, odds are they have some sort of spell on them to let Tecryd know we’ve taken them off.”

“What about our weapons?” Braizra asked.

Thola sighed. “Consider them lost. There’s no way we’ll be able to get them back without raising suspicion. We’re just going to have to move it and pray we can get out of the Underdark before we’re caught. If we do this, we get one shot. If we fail, we’ll be separated. There’s no way we’ll be able to coordinate.”

Ecra nodded. “We can do this. Maybe we can throw together some makeshift weapons in here? I’d say ask Vrag, but…”

“It’d get back to Tecryd without a doubt,” Thola finished. “Yeah, but you have a point. If we can sneak away some cutlery, just one knife or spoon a day, we can find ways to sharpen them. Anything can be a weapon if you’re creative.”

Herra cleared her throat. “That’s great for everyone who does use weapons, but I’ve only used magic. Without Lytta I’m worthless,” She said.

“Lytta will find us once we’re home free,” Thola reached over and smoothed the halfling’s curls. “I promise. She’s probably been searching for you for weeks.”

Ecra nodded. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, anyway. We still don’t know if we can find a way out down there anyway.”

“One more question,” Herra raised her finger. “Are you sure you’ll be able to keep Tecryd’s attention for long enough?”

Ecra smiled meekly. “I kinda have an idea…”

~*~

“A little early. Eager, are we?”

Ecra did his best not to roll his eyes as he walked into the bedroom, where Tecryd was lounged ever so smugly across the bed. “I’ve been thinking,” He announced as he sat on the bed across from the drow prince.

“A common thing, I’ve noticed,” Tecryd reached over to brush some of Ecra’s hair out of his eyes, “Your mind always seem to be somewhere else, unless you’re in combat. Would you like to share?”

Ecra chewed his bottom lip and glanced at the door, trying to seem as self conscious as possible. He really, really hoped this would work and keep Tecryd from catching onto the fact some of his pets were moving around down below the palace. “Well, you say what we do is some sort of sex game, right? Master and pet, dominant and submissive, yadda yadda yadda?”

Tecryd nodded, propping himself on his arm. “Yes, that’s about it,” He said.

Great, now he really was feeling self conscious. Ecra took a deep breath. “Is there… more we could try?” He asked, feeling his ears turn red as Tecryd’s eyes.

Tecryd blinked a few times before smirking. “There certainly is. Anything in particular?” He said, moving forward and resting his hand on Ecra’s thigh.

Damn it, his heart was beating out of control. But even if this was mostly for the ploy, Ecra found himself a little turned on. “I’d like for you to show me some things,” He murmured, interlacing his trembling fingers in with Tecryd’s.

Tecryd grinned and leaned in close to Ecra’s ear.

“I would like to show you many things, pet. But let’s start with the basics. When you reach a point you are uncomfortable, you immediately tell me to stop. Understand?”

Swallowing, Ecra nodded.

“Good. Get up and strip off your clothes, nice and slow, until you are bare other than the collar on your neck.”

Heart hammering in his ears, Ecra got to his feet and undid the lacing on his shirt, pulling it off over his head and letting it drop to the ground. Tecryd just lounged back and watched, eyes flickering up and down over Ecra’s scarred torso.

_Deep breath. You got this._

Ecra’s fingers froze just for a moment at his beltline, taking a moment to stroke his hipbones with his thumbs before he pulled his pants down past his thighs, kicking them off and nearly stumbling as they caught around his ankles.

_Damn it. I was almost sexy there too. _

Tecryd thankfully managed to suppress a chuckle by biting the inside of his lip. “You’re cute sometimes. Come here, lay on the bed. Spread your legs and close your eyes. I have to go retrieve some things.”

Without hesitation Ecra obeyed, letting himself sink into the mattress and his eyes flutter shut.

_Just what the hell is he going to do to me though?_

A minute passed before something slipped over Ecra’s head, wrapping firmly around his eyes. Even though instinct had them immediately pop back open Ecra still couldn’t see anything.

“Hands up!” Tecryd barked, Ecra not even aware of the fact he was even reaching for the blindfold. His hands shot back up and Tecryd gave Ecra a firm pat on the chest. Something smooth and soft wrapped around his wrists, expertly tying them together before fastening them to the headboard. After a quick yank, Ecra confirmed he wasn’t going anywhere. More silk bindings wrapped around one of his ankles, then the next, pulling his legs apart as they were fastened, Ecra imagined, to the bed posts at the foot of the bed.

“Now… now this, is a lovely sight.”

Ecra’s blush had no doubt traveled down to his chest, his skin turning a flustered pink. He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t move his arms or legs. He was completely vulnerable to whatever Tecryd had planned. Ecra nearly jumped out of his skin as the drow’s fingers caressed down his side, pausing at each rib before pulling away.

“You know why I like blindfolds?”

He was real close to Ecra’s right side, judging about where Ecra picked up his voice.

“You can’t see where I am. You have no idea what I’m planning right now. I could be holding anything from a rose to a whip.”

Something soft brushed over Ecra’s pectoral, perhaps the flower that the prince had referred to? Ecra did his best to inch away from the touch, but all he could really do was squirm as one of the thorns scraped against his nipple.

“And with you tied down like you are, you can’t do anything but wait for the inevitable.”

Tecryd’s tongue ran a line over the shell of Ecra’s ear, causing the human to shudder. Gods above and below, he really was helpless right now. Powerless to do anything except allow Tecryd whatever he wanted. And for some fucking reason, that was really turning Ecra on right now.

“You know, my element of preference is lightning, for many reasons… but that doesn’t mean I can’t tap into any others.”

Ecra could almost feel Tecryd’s hand hovering over his stomach, and it was suddenly getting hot, like he was right next to a bonfire about to fall in. Ecra attempted to squirm away when it was no longer the good kind of pain when Tecryd’s hand pressed right against the skin, now colder than a blizzard. Goosebumps popped up all over Ecra’s skin and he gasped, his back arching up against the hand pressed against him. And just like that, it was gone.

Caressing fingers occasionally brushed against Ecra’s cheek, his neck, collarbone, sternum, all the way down to just below his navel before they pulled away, leaving Ecra completely oblivious to where his drow tormentor was. Sometimes he’d pull back for a full minute, leaving Ecra uselessly turning his head back and forth to try and pick out where the drow was, then the heat and the cold would return and he’d be back to trying to catch his breath and leaning against every touch.

“Oh look at that? I’ve not even touched it, but your cock’s nice and hard.”

A soft moan slipped from Ecra’s lips as Tecryd drew a finger up his length, pausing for a moment to press against the slit before pulling away.

“Is it that you’ll not know what’ll happen next? Or is it that every sensation is magnified ten thousand with your eyes covered that is riling you up?”

Ecra nodded, not sure which question he was responding to. Everything had become far away and too close at once, all in this world of darkness was him tied to the bed and Tecryd massaging his balls with almost too much force to be pleasurable. But it was so good. Ecra’s head had tilted back, his lips parted with each breath coming out as a desperate pant.

_I need more. I need so much more._

“Open your mouth and suck.”

Ecra had gotten a bit better at giving head since Tecryd had been dragging him into the bedroom, but it was still a lot to ask of with Tecryd thrusting into his mouth, unable to stop himself from choking as the drow’s length slid past his tongue and down his throat. Tecryd didn’t seem to expect any fancy tongue work, settling for fucking Ecra’s mouth so fast he could barely get a breath in.

It was an achievement when Ecra’s nose bumped up against Tecryd’s groin, finally having taken all of Tecryd’s cock down his throat. Ecra swallowed around Tecryd’s length, his saliva starting to cool down his chin.

Tecryd finally pulled out, grabbing Ecra by the hair and hauled him up. “Are you such in a rush… that you’re trying to get me to finish down your throat?” He growled, his voice thick with arousal. Ecra couldn’t even make his mouth move to respond, only managing a desperate shake no of the head. He didn’t want to rush this, he wanted _more_. “Naughty, naughty. Keep those legs spread, no matter what I do.”

Ecra nodded and felt the bindings on his ankles go loose as Tecryd either cut them loose or untied him. Judging by the speed, probably the former. Ecra had no time to relax, Tecryd gripping his calves and pushing them up until Ecra was almost bent in half. Any other time, Ecra would’ve objected to this, he was not as flexible as Tecryd seemed to believe, but his tongue didn’t even seem to want to work.

Without any fingers and only a little more saliva spat upon his hole, Tecryd forced his cock inside of Ecra, slamming into him and pulling a yelp from his sore throat.

“Now stay still and let me use you like the whore you’re acting like.”

Ecra managed a weak ‘uh huh’ before Tecryd started pounding into him, ravaging him so roughly all Ecra could do was scream.

And scream he did, his body being used so brutally it was not possible to be silent. The pain of the stretch that came with being fucked nearly dry was unbearable, but Ecra found himself rocking up against Tecryd, crying out desperately any moment he pulled out for more than a second. He wanted to be filled, to be continuously fucked until he didn’t have to think anymore. Get out of his head. Be nothing but what Tecryd wanted.

Tecryd’s hand slapped against Ecra’s ass, pulling another desperate shout from the human. “If you could see yourself right now. Lips all swollen, cock dripping, your face red as wine. You’ll climax the moment I touch it, won’t you?” Another slap and Ecra’s erection jerked. “I won’t even have to do that. Tighten up, be a good little pet for your master.”

Ecra did all he could to squeeze around Tecryd, yelping against as the drow continued to spank him. “There we go, that’s good…” Tecryd growled, his pace growing desperately erratic as Ecra barely managed to recognize that the drow had to be getting close.

“Beg for it.”

Ecra didn’t even need to ask what ‘it’ was. “P-please, Master!” He arched his back up and did his best to spread his legs just a bit more. “Please!” He couldn’t even say anything else, his mind was running blank and he just wanted it.

With a hiss in elven, Tecryd slammed into Ecra one last time, the flood of heat driving Ecra over the edge. Ecra came with a whimper, copious amounts of seed landing on his belly before going completely limp, his vision gone from blinding white to completely black.

He came back to when the blindfold was undone. Tecryd was still panting, his face dripping sweat and red eyes slid half closed in contentment. “You all right?”

“Uh…”

“Let’s get these off.”

Tecryd untied Ecra quick as he could, Ecra sighing with relief as he lowered his wrists. He left his side only for a moment, returning with a mug and placing it to Ecra’s lips. “It’s just water. You were… quite loud, I think you’ve strained your voice a bit.”

Ecra nodded, taking slow sips of the drink offered to him. When it was taken away, Ecra swallowed. “… That was amazing,” He rasped.

“I think I broke your mind.”

Ecra scowled before Tecryd smoothed his hair. “You’re staying here tonight. I’ll have a servant prepare us a bath, get you cleaned up?” The drow asked, pressing a kiss to Ecra’s forehead.

“You don’t have to be so nice, I’m your sex slave, remember?” Ecra mumbled, focusing his gaze on the ceiling.

Tecryd bit the inside of his cheek before sighing. “I think it’s safe to say… getting to actually know my enemy has tremendously backfired,” he said quietly.

Huh. Now that was interesting. Ecra did his best not to react with anything but mild interest. “Good. Feel bad. Not for the sex, but for everything else.”

Tecryd snorted and flicked Ecra in the center of the forehead. “Do you want the bath or not?” He deadpanned.

Ecra nodded. “I’d… really like that,” He said.

Maybe if the party kept up with appealing to the small sliver of good that existed in Tecryd, they’d be Kept no longer.

~*~

“How’s it going, Herra?”

Herra popped out of a pile of rocks and brushed off her dress. “That’s a dead end. I couldn’t get much deeper than a foot or two. Let’s keep going?” She said.

Braizra grunted and hauled Herra up by the back of the dress, letting the halfling cling to his back. “We can keep looking for a bit more, but then we got to head back. Let’s keep going,” He said.

Herra only hummed in response, resting her head against the half orc. “… I think we need to talk to Alur about something,” She said.

“So that’s what’s been on your mind all night?” Braizra chuckled. “Knew something was. You think too loud.”

Herra bopped the back of Braizra’s head with her head. “You quit that. I think at just the right level of noise. But if we do confront Alur, it’s gonna be rough.”

“Did Tecryd say something again?” Braizra snorted. “Listen, I can agree with that Tecryd actually has feelings, but he’s still a manipulative bastard. Odds are he’s pulling your strings so we all turn on Alur. They’ve been enemies since before the two of us were _born._”

“That’s exactly why I’m concerned- wait!”

Herra slid off Braizra’s back, cupping a hand to her ear. “Did you hear that?”

Braizra frowned but listened up. For a second, it was nothing. Then it was footsteps. Teeny, tiny footsteps, smaller than Herra or a kobold… but what could be that small?

“Mew?”

A pure black cat popped out of the darkness, trotting right up to Herra and rubbing its head against her legs. Herra gasped before falling to her knees.

“Lytta! You found me!”

The cat meowed again and repeatedly bumped her head against her witch with a loud purr. Herra laughed and kissed Lytta right on the head. “I missed you too.” Scooping her familiar up, Herra turned around to look at Braizra. “Looks like there’s a way out after all! It might be only small enough for Lytta to get through, but maybe not! Or we can expand the way she got in!”

Braizra stroked his chin before he smirked. “… Gives us something else too- you’ll be able to use your magic. And Tecryd won’t have a damn clue.”

Herra’s eyes widened before looking down at Lytta, still purring and happily headbutting Herra’s chest. She grinned almost ear to ear. 

“Exactly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so fun to write I need to write more full out BDSM.
> 
> Sorry it's been so long, I'm so bad at constant updates. But we're getting to what will def be one of my favorite scenes in hopefully a few chapters and goddamn I Am Pumped. see ya, remember to follow me on tumblr ladyluciet.tumblr.com, and kudos/comments keep my stories alive.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll try to update quickly! Thanks for reading, kudos/comments give me life!


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